A Scarlett Holiday
by LadyBJKD
Summary: I hope everyone who is reading is enjoying this little look into Spencer and Scarlett's personal life. There is a little surprise in store that will link into the upcoming "Loving Scarlett" so I hope you'll keep reading! Thanks again for everyone's kind reviews. Please keep leaving reviews!
1. Chapter 1

**A Scarlett Holiday**

To my Readers:

Hello all! I thought I'd take this chance to put out a few happy little chapters for everyone who has been following Scarlett and Spencer's love story. After all, not every day has to be about catching the bad guys in the BAU, right? Even profiler's need a day off! So- here is how they spent their Holiday Season.

I want to take a moment to give a special thank you to CMFanReidsGirl for sending me new musical muses by introducing me to OneRepublic and Imagine Dragons. Please keep sharing! You'll be hearing their songs in Scarlett's playlists!

To any of my readers who do Criminal Minds fanvids on YouTube or run CM Tumbler accounts, I wanted to thank you all! You provide me with endless amounts of ideas and I'm not technically savvy enough to do these types of things on my own! I love the songs, the videos and the gifs so very much! Please keep them coming!

And finally… if you find any spelling or grammatical errors, it is totally my fault; I wanted to surprise my beta reader CatGurl83 with these chapters also, so I hadn't asked her to look them over. ;-p Let me know if you find the errors and I'll correct them- as you know, I despise errors! Love to you and yours, sweetie!

As always, anyone is more than welcome to follow me at Twitter, if just to share CM pics & info, music or just chat! LadyBJKD

I hope you enjoy and it is my sincerest wish that everyone had a wonderful Holiday, no matter how you all celebrate or believe and that Love and Joy are in abundance for your New Year!

((HUGS!))

~Becky

* * *

><p>Chapter 1<p>

Spencer looked up from where he sat lounging along on the couch reading while Scarlett moved through the living room, pacing, as she talked to her younger sister on the phone.

"Norie… I already talked to Mama, but I wanted to ask you… so you know you have a choice," she was saying as she nervously fidgeted with some of the pictures on the fireplace mantle.

"We've gotten somewhat of a break at work- things are a bit quiet, for now- and I wanted to find out if you'd like to come out here for the holidays…"

Scarlett pulled the phone away from her ear and Reid cringed when he heard the squeal from Noreen through the speaker, halfway across the room.

"I guess that's a yes?" he chuckled as Scarlett smiled brightly.

"That's a yes…" she laughed. She shook her head, listening as the little girl rattled off at the other end of the line.

"Okay… yes," she continued the conversation, sitting on the opposite end of the sofa from Spencer, in an obviously lighter mood, just since her sister had chosen to come for the visit.

Reid watched her surreptitiously from behind his book. Since Noreen had moved in permanently with Fran Morgan a little less than a month ago, Scarlett had seemed sad, and that upset him. He had actually made the suggestion to her about asking Norie to come back to them for the break, hoping that having the girl home would help… and it seemed like it was already doing just that. Scarlett had dismissed the idea at first, saying it wouldn't be fair if they caught a case and had to send Norie back, making her juggle her plans for the holidays… but taking notice of her nervous behavior just before and her excitement now, made him wonder if there wasn't something else worrying at her mind.

Scarlett reached over to the side table, snagging her iPad to pull up the flights she'd checked on in hopes that Norie would want to come… she beamed a grin at Spencer when she caught him watching her.

He felt his heart catch on a familiar stutter.

Spencer reached over and tugged on her arm until she slid over next to him. Scarlett tucked her legs up under her, snuggling against his chest while she finished her conversation as she clicked through the airline's site.

"Okay, pumpkin… I went ahead and booked your flight… so day after tomorrow, I'll text you the rest of the details, yes… we'll pick you up. Okay baby… right, I'll see you then… Yeppers… bye…"

Scarlett cleared the call and tossed her phone on the coffee table. She turned her face into Spencer's shoulder and sighed. He pressed his lips to the crown of her head, breathing in her scent.

"Thank you," she said softly, her voice muffled against his sweater.

His brow furrowed a bit, as he kissed her hair.

"For what?" he asked, a little confused.

"For loving me enough to know what I needed, even when I couldn't figure it out," she said, rubbing her cheek against his chest. She smiled softly when she heard his chuckle vibrate under her ear.

"Well, then… you're welcome," he told her, a grin moving over his face. "You are my favorite subject to study," he teased, leaning over to kiss her cheek.

Scarlett reached over, taking his book from his hand, setting it and her tablet next to her phone. She saw Spencer still watching her movements with his knowing hazel gaze, as she stretched out on top of him. He bit the inside of his cheek, trying to keep the silly smile from taking over his face. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her up against him.

She looked down into his face, giggling at how hard he was trying to keep a straight face… and how badly he was failing.

"Okay, farm boy…" she held her chin in one hand while tracing her fingers down his jaw with the other. "What's going on behind those gorgeous eyes?" she grinned.

"Nothing," he said, smiling wider. "Just happy, I guess…" he told her.

"Mmm-hmm," she continued stroking his cheek, reaching up to touch the wrinkles that formed at the corners of his eyes. "You look like a cat that ate the canary…" she told him.

Spencer lifted his head a bit to reach her lips with a kiss.

"Okay, so… very happy, then," he amended. "Although I never quite understood that particular idiom, in the sense that…"

Scarlett cut him off with a kiss. His voice cracked a little and he swallowed hard as her lips moved over his, slowly, making him feel like was drowning in the sensation. He groaned as she pressed her body on his.

"And what has you so very happy, then, my sweet boy?" she asked him, keeping her lips moving against his.

"Mmm," he made a humming noise in his throat, catching her lips with his once again.

"This…" he told her. Spencer reached up to trace the smile that lit her face. "You're smiling… you haven't been smiling enough lately…" he told her, rubbing his nose to hers until she laughed.

"I've missed hearing you laugh, crazy girl," he told her softly, his voice turning more serious. "You've been down since Norie left…"

Scarlett met his eyes, brushing another kiss to his lips, pulling back a bit to see his face more clearly. She pushed his glasses back up his nose, giving it a quick kiss.

"I'm sorry, sweet boy- I hadn't realized I was acting so… depressed, I guess…" she responded.

Spencer framed her face with his hands, pulling her towards him again, nipping at her mouth, teasing her with light kisses until she grinned. She couldn't stop the giggle that bubbled up in her throat.

"I'd rather see you happy," he whispered, taking the kiss deeper. Scarlett felt her heart skip in her chest at the love shining in his eyes.

"Spence…" she returned the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck as he slid her to his side, moving over the top of her.

He pulled her by her hips, yanking her down further on the couch so he could lie on top of her. Holding himself up on his elbows, he looked into her eyes, studying her face.

"I love you, Katy Scarlett," he told her, watching her face intently.

"As I love you, my sweet farm boy," she responded, brushing her fingers through his hair, pushing it back from his face, tucking it behind his ear. He grinned as fell forward again, touching her face.

"I need another haircut," he laughed as she tugged at the stray locks.

"Maybe…" she teased, taking one of the wild strands and pressing a kiss to it. "Not too short though… I need something to grab ahold of, to drag you down to me…" she teased, tugging his hair, pulling his face within an inch of hers.

Spencer laughed as she looked at him cross-eyed. He kissed her forehead.

"You don't need to 'drag' me anywhere, crazy girl. I'll go quite willingly…" he grinned, dropping another kiss to her nose.

Scarlett got an evil glint in her eye. "Is that so?" she asked.

Spencer saw it. "Uh-oh…" he laughed, pulling himself into a sitting position. "I know that look…"

She moved over to straddle his hips, looking down into his face. "What look?" she asked innocently.

"The look that tells me you are hatching a plan, one that usually has me involved…" he joked, reaching up to kiss her quickly. "What are you thinking, crazy girl?"

"Well, I was thinking that we need to decorate… since we are getting company," she smiled brightly. "If we are having a twelve year old around for Christmas, we need to get ready for Santa!"

"Ah, is that all," Spencer sat up straighter, giving her a kiss. "I usually decorate for Christmas… I've got boxes in the storage unit down in the basement…" he told her. "There's enough to cover the place…"

He laughed when Scarlett clapped her hands like a child.

"Can we start now?" she asked, her eyes lighting. "I'll grab the boxes…" she said, sliding off his lap.

Spencer grabbed her hand, standing up as she did. "Slow down crazy girl!" he teased. "It's still early yet," he told her, glancing at his watch. "It's only seven o'clock… we can go get a tree first, if you want…"

Scarlett stopped, looking up at him. "Go 'get' a tree?" she asked. "You don't have a tree?"

He tugged her hand pulling her to the door. "No…" he responded, confused. "How would I have- Oh, you mean one of those plastic things?" he chuckled, handing over her jacket. "No, I usually get a live tree… we still have time to grab one, if we hurry…"

Scarlett looked at him askance as he helped her into her coat. "You murder a tree as part of your holiday ritual?" she asked.

Spencer stopped, looking down at her. "I don't…" he started to defend himself when he noticed the little wrinkle in her nose. She was teasing him.

He pressed a kiss to those telling lines and smiled at her. "I go to a stand where the trees are already cut down. They were already sacrificed in the name of Christmas… I just help them fulfill their destiny to become a beautiful symbol of the season," he teased back, buttoning up her coat.

"Besides- the smell is just… well- it means Christmas to me," he told her. "It's not Christmas until the apartment smells like pine," he told her with sincerity.

Scarlett pulled on the scarf around his neck, leaning him closer for a kiss. "You really love this, don't you?" she commented, seeing the joy in his eyes. "You enjoy all the trimmings of this," she noted.

"Yes…" he grinned. "I do," he answered honestly, grabbing her close for another kiss.

Scarlett laughed. "Okay, boy… let's go get us a tree…" she grinned.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Spencer stood in the second row of trees watching as Scarlett looked them over, checking the sizes and styles of each. He could tell from her eyes that she wasn't only looking at the tree before her; she was actually seeing each one as it would stand in their apartment.

"This one," she told him, turning to look up at him. He could see the distance in her gaze, her green eyes not completely focused on him, as she saw the tree standing in the corner by the window. Her focus cleared, and her eyes shone brightly. "This one would fit perfectly," she told him with a bright smile.

"Then it's ours…" he told her, taking her by the hand. He signaled over to one of the workers, indicating which tree to bind up.

Scarlett danced around him. "We can decorate it tonight, right?" she asked.

He laughed at her merriment. "Yes… we can- I've got an entire collection of ornaments in one of the bins."

Scarlett's breath puffed out in steam as she giggled. "This is going to be great!" she clapped her gloved hands together.

The workers loaded their tree on the roof of Spencer's little Volvo.

"Oh, yeah… great," he laughed, seeing the size of the tree against the car. "I don't think we thought this through," he admitted, thinking about how the two of them were going to manage to drag the monster up the stairs to the second floor.

"It's going to look beautiful…" she told him as she slid into the passenger's seat. Spencer took another look at the tree, shaking his head before getting in on driver's side.

"I don't doubt that," he said. "I'm just thinking about how we are going to get it inside," he reminded her.

Scarlett made a muscle. "Come on, boy… we can do it… You and me, kid, we'll wrestle the beast into that corner…" she teased.

Spencer laughed. "Right, okay…"

Scarlett settled back for the ride home, turning on the radio and tuning it to holiday music. She leaned her head back against the headrest and closed her eyes as she hummed along to the song.

"Why were you nervous about asking Norie to come here for Christmas?" Spencer asked her randomly.

Scarlett opened one eye to look at him. It never ceased to amaze her how his mind worked, turning things over and over and then just spitting them out at any point. He must have been thinking about that bit for the last few hours, trying to figure it out on his own.

"What makes you think I was nervous?" she answered his question with a question.

Spencer took a quick look at her, then back at the road.

"You were pacing when you first called her. You were fidgeting, fussing with pictures and biting on your thumb," he told her. "You gave me a litany of reasons that she wouldn't come before you even called her, excuses that you made up so you wouldn't be disappointed if she said she couldn't come."

"You wanted her to come, but were afraid she'd say 'No'," he finished.

"Mmm-hmm," Scarlett closed her eyes again. Definitely had been thinking it over… "And you watch me too closely, Spencer Reid," she told him.

"I told you… you are my favorite subject to study…" he responded easily.

When she didn't say anything more, Spencer looked over at her again. He waited for another minute before asking again.

"So? Why were you afraid to ask?"

Scarlett sighed. "I don't really know, Spence…" she finally answered. "I guess, it's just that… I want a relationship with her so badly… and I'm afraid of pushing too hard. I wanted to give her the choice- if she'd rather stay in Chicago with Mama and her friends, I'd understand. But I was hoping she'd want some time with me, here. I was afraid to ask…"

"Because it's that important…" he finished for her. He took his hand from the wheel, reaching over to take hers.

Scarlett felt his hand, pressing three fingers into the palm of her hand through the gloves. She squeezed it, threading her fingers with his. She felt tears picking her eyelids and kept her eyes closed as she spoke.

"Yeah, it's that important…" she told him. "I want her to like me…" she admitted softly.

"Katy," Spencer said her name quietly, "She does… she loves you. You already made that connection. She was happy the whole time that she stayed with us," he reminded her. "She only chose to go back to Chicago because of school- it was easier for her to stay where they knew her, and understood her- and to be with her friends. She didn't leave because she didn't like you…"

"I know, I get it, really, I do," she told him. "It was better for her, too, because of our work… I wouldn't want to see her have to keep flying back to Chicago on her own every time we got a case. She already had to do it twice while she was here," she said, more to herself than to Spencer.

"It is better for her to be with Mama, and I know Mom is thrilled to have her stay. But…" she sighed, shaking her head.

"But you miss her," Spencer stated, understanding what she wasn't saying.

"Terribly…" she added, bringing his hand to her lips and kissing it. "I'm so happy she's coming," she told him with a smile.

"Good," he turned his hand to brush a finger to her cheek. "Then I am happy," he grinned as he tweaked her chin. Scarlett laughed.

He swung the car towards the curb in front of their building, getting out before Scarlett, to open her door. She waited, knowing if she didn't, it would drive him crazy. For some reason, these little things meant a lot to him. She shook her head and grinned at the irony. She could step in front of him and throw a left cross into an unsub's face to bring him down, and Spencer wouldn't blink an eye, but if she got out of the car on her own, he'd get mulish.

She unbuckled her seatbelt as he opened the door, reaching in a hand to help her out.

"Thank you, farm boy…" she grinned, giving his cheek a quick kiss as she stepped over to the curb. Looking up at tree, she smiled over at him.

"Ready for a work out?" she asked.

"Not really," he admitted. "Maybe we should call your brother," he teased, earning a scathing look from Scarlett.

"Right… so he could tell me how I'm doing it all wrong? No thanks…" Scarlett rolled her eyes.

Spencer laughed. "He knows that motivates you- you hate being told what to do," he mentioned to her, reaching over to cut the lines that held the tree.

"Oh, is that his game?" she asked, thinking it over. "I'll have to watch out for that then…" she scowled slightly.

Spencer grinned, hiding it by ducking down behind the branches. "I'm sorry I pointed it out it," he told her, lifting the base of the tree from the roof. He struggled with it a little, calling over to her from behind it.

"You take the top; it's lighter…"

Scarlett huffed a bit at that. "As if…" she grumbled, moving over to stand beside him. She nudged him out of the way.

"You grab the middle," she told him. "I'd rather drag than push…"

"But…" he started to argue the point and received a glare.

"Okay, we'll do it your way…" he told her.

Scarlett dragged the trunk up the doorsteps through the first flight and almost halfway up the second before she stopped.

"Hey!" she shouted, throwing a look down at him.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"You _played_ me…" she stated, just realizing what had happened.

Spencer yelped slightly as she let go and the full weight of the tree pulled at this arms. He braced his feet.

"Scarlett, a little help here…" he begged, looking up at her.

"You played me…" she repeated.

"Yes… sorry… geez Scarlett…" he felt his arms burn under the stress. "You can probably bench press my body weight for crying out loud… do you really think I'd have an issue with you taking the heavy end of the tree?"

"Then why did you?" she asked, watching him struggle a moment longer before grabbing her end again.

Spencer felt his arms shake in relief. "Sorry!" he said again. "I just thought it was funny… you really never realized what Derek's been doing?"

Scarlett made a derisive snort. "No. But now that you brought it up, it makes sense. And slightly pisses me off…" she stated. She yanked the tree into the apartment, not waiting for him to catch up.

Spencer jumped back from the tree as she pulled. "Sorry," he said again, louder this time. "I don't want to see you pissed off at Morgan," he told her.

Scarlett stood in the middle of the apartment, looking back at him with an evil smile on her face.

"I didn't say I was pissed off at Morgan, _Reid_…" she said snarkily, as she pulled off her coat and gloves.

"Oh…" he swallowed loudly. "Um…" he backed up slowly. He took his own jacket off, moving into the living room, hoping that he could put some distance between himself and her temper- until she paced up to stand before him.

"You played me, Reid," she repeated. "You have to pay…"

"Scarlett… _oooof_!" he caught her mid-jump as she hit his chest, knocking him backwards onto the couch. She knelt over the top of him, grinning down into his face.

"You have to pay…" she laughed, tickling him mercilessly.

"Scarlett, stop," he giggled, trying to scoot away from her hands. "Knock it off…" he backed up on the couch, pushing with his feet trying to get out from under her, but she hung onto his hips with her knees.

"I can't… I can't catch my breath!" he complained.

Scarlett saw tears gather in the corners of his eyes as he laughed. He wriggled under her, turning slightly, so she wrapped her arms around his neck as she hung on his back, leaning in close to his ear.

"What's the safe word, boy?" she teased.

"'_Mercy'_… for God's sake…" he laughed harder, his face bright red from struggling.

"Mercy…" he said again, trying to get a hold of her. He turned, lying back against the couch as she released him, panting from the exertion.

Scarlett flopped across him, looking down into his face. He still giggled slightly, as if he couldn't stop… and that made her smile.

"And what have we learned from this?" she laughed, covering his body with hers.

Spencer wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight.

"Don't piss off the girl who can bench press me?" he responded, giving her ass a smack.

Scarlett grinned and dropped a kiss to his nose.

"There ya go…" she snickered, scooting up closer to his face. She looked down into his eyes, still bright with laughter and felt her heart tug in her chest.

"I love you, Spence…" she said seriously, reaching out to trace the laugh lines at the corner of his eyes. "You make me so happy…"

Spencer sucked in a breath, quieted by the intense look in her eyes.

"I love you too, darling," he told her. "Seeing your smile takes my breath away…"

Scarlett moved her fingers over his lips, gently stroking a feather's touch across them. He pulled her down for a kiss…

Scarlett jumped slightly as her phone vibrated from inside her pocket. He chuckled as he heard "Born this Way" by Lady Gaga from her hip.

"Garcia has radar on us," Spencer complained mildly, reaching into her pocket to answer the call.

"Hello, Penelope…" he said, flipping the call to speaker, as Scarlett trailed light kisses down his throat.

"Hi, Penny," Scarlett chirped as she nipped his neck. She started unbuttoning his shirt.

"Hey, you two! What are you getting into tonight?" Garcia asked. "Derek and I were thinking of hitting a movie… Do you want to come with?" she asked, her voice ringing out through the room.

"Uh…no…" Spencer answered, biting back a moan as Scarlett ran her tongue along his chest. He cleared his throat. "Stop it," he whispered lowly at her as he pressed his lips together tightly.

Scarlett grinned evilly, moving lower…

She pressed a kiss to navel, and began to undo his belt.

"We're decorating our Christmas tree tonight, Pens… Norie is coming home for Christmas…" Scarlett said to the phone. She tilted her head slightly, as an idea came to her.

"How about you guys skip the movie and come over to help? We'll make a party out of it…" she told her friend as she pulled down Reid's zipper. She chuckled when he grabbed her hand to stop her.

"That sounds like fun! Let me ask your brother… he's in the shower a.t.m.," she said, using text speak.

"Okey dokey," Scarlett laughed, pushing Spencer's hands away and tugging at the waistband of his underwear.

"Scarlett!" he hissed loudly, his face flaming as she reached her hand inside his pants.

"Hush…" she told him, kissing him quickly. She felt his hips buck under her involuntarily as she stroked him.

"Hey, Hot Chocolate…" Scarlett heard Penelope shouting over the sound of the shower spray. She laughed at Penny's pet name for her brother.

"What's up, Sassy Pants?" she heard Derek respond.

"Scarlett and Reid are decorating their Christmas tree tonight… she wanted to know if we wanted to go there instead…" she told him.

Scarlett moved her lips over Spencer's hips, biting lightly at the bones there. She felt his fingers thread through her hair, tugging lightly.

"Sounds good to me…" was Derek's answer that sounded over the speaker.

"Okay! Cool… we'll be there in a bit, Katy-bird," Garcia said into the phone.

"Take your time…" Spencer told her, arching under Scarlett as her lips moved across his hips. Her breath heated his erection through the fabric of his underwear.

"We aren't in a rush…" he said, and his voice pitched strangely, sounding strangled. He slammed his mouth shut and Scarlett laughed as his face flamed red.

"See ya soon!" Scarlett added, reaching over to hang up.

"Have fun, bunnies…" Garcia responded, giggling. "We'll knock before walking in…" she promised on a laugh.

Spencer could feel his ears burning from the heat of embarrassment.

Scarlett laughed too. "Okay girl… t.t.f.n.," she told her friend, disconnecting the call.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Now, where were we?" she teased, moving back over to kiss Spencer's collarbone. She ran her tongue along the sensitive skin there, up his neck and to the shell of his ear, making him twitch.

"Scarlett…" Reid groaned, pulling her hips up against his tightly. "Jesus," he swore softly as she ran her teeth lightly over the cord of his neck.

"Please, you are _killing_ me…" he pulled her down so her legs straddled his hips, dragging himself into a sitting position. Scarlett stayed in place, looking down at him through her lashes.

"Are you begging, farm boy?" she teased, licking his chin. Spencer sucked in his breath, letting it out in a huff as Scarlett pulled his bottom lip between hers. He felt her teeth scrape along there, as she released it slowly.

"Do you want me to?" he squeaked.

Scarlett laughed throatily, and he felt his heart kick in his chest.

"Not today, boy… I don't think we have that kind of playtime…" she teased. "Maybe another day…" she laughed, tracing a finger down his brow, over his nose to his lips.

Spencer trapped her finger between his teeth and growled lowly.

Scarlett leaned forward and kissed him, exchanging her finger for her tongue, framing his face with her hands. When she rubbed against him, she heard him change the growl to a whimper.

"Lose the pants, boy…" she leaned forward, whispering in his ear.

"You too, girl," he told her, pushing her back from his lap and changing positions with her. As she unzipped her jeans, backing away from him, he reached over and tugged them from her hips.

"We've got about half an hour before company comes calling…" she reminded him when he reached across the couch for the remote for the sound system.

"Mmm-hmm," he responded off hand, as music filled the room. Scarlett watched him curiously as he stood, pulling the jeans from her legs, tossing them aside. He stood over her, removing her shirt, looking her over.

"Dance with me, Katy," he whispered in her ear, pulling her close.

"You're still dressed," she pouted, moving into his arms.

"I know…" he grinned, running his hands over her back, gently stroking her skin. He buried his face in her hair, swaying to the music.

"You are so soft…" she heard him murmur as he touched her. "And you smell so good," he said, breathing in her scent. She could feel his words move across her ear as he spoke them softly against her neck. The sensitive skin there prickled in anticipation of his lips.

Scarlett closed her eyes, leaning against him, as she listened to the lyrics of "Something I Need" by One Republic. Her heart trembled in her chest as she heard him begin to quietly sing the words to her…

'_I had a dream the other night, about how we only get one life… Woke me up right after two… Stayed awake and stared at you, So I wouldn't lose my mind._

_And I had the week that came from hell … And yes I know that you could tell. But you're like the net under the ledge… When I go flying off the edge, You go flying off as well_

_And if you only die once- I wanna die with You… _

_You got something I need! In this world full of people- there's one killing me…'_

Spencer looked into her eyes, giving her a grin at that line. "You're killing me, Katy," he smiled, leaning closer, kissing her lips. He took her hips, moving against her to the rhythm of the song…

'_And if we only die once, I wanna die with you… You got something I need! In this world full of people- there's one killing me… And if we only die once, I wanna die with you…_

_Last night, I think I drank too much, yeah- Call it our temporary crutch, hey, with broken words, I've tried to say- Honey don't you be afraid!_

_If we got nothing, we got us! _

_And if you only die once, I wanna die with you… You got something I need! In this world full of people- there's one killing me!'_

Spencer leaned down to kiss her nose. She shook her head and giggled as he spun her out in a circle. He watched her dance before him, completely unabashed in her nudity. His heart ached and he rubbed at his chest. When she moved closer to him, he took her hands, spinning her out again, then back into his arms, so he was at her back. He saw her smile widen as she leaned back in his arms and closed her eyes.

"You are my heart, crazy girl…" he whispered, pressing a kiss under her ear. He felt her sigh as she reached back, wrapping her arm around his neck, holding him close as she swayed to the music. He let his hand wander over her body, touching her, stoking the fire that burned under her skin….

He picked the lyrics back up and continued singing them in her ear.

'_And if we only die once, I wanna die with you, You got something I need! In this world full of people there's one killing me!_

_And if we only die once, I wanna die with you… I know that we're not the same… But I'm so damn glad that we made it… To this time, this time, now…_

_You got something I need! Yeah, in this world full of people there's one killing me… And if we only die once… I wanna die with you! _

_You got something I need! In this world full of people- there's one killing me! And if we only die once, I wanna die with you! _

_You got something I need- In this world full of people there's one killing me… And if we only die once, I wanna die with you… If we only die once I wanna die with, If we only live once… I wanna live with you!'_

Scarlett held her breath a moment, just looking up at his profile. He finished singing to her, and stood there, just watching her, watching him.

Spencer saw her emotions reflecting in her eyes, and pulled her closer. "I love you, my beautiful crazy girl…"

She sighed, still hearing the song replaying in her head. "As I love you, my sweet farm boy…"

Tipping her head back, she met his lips, turning and wrapping her arms up around his neck.

"You are my everything," she told him, then nudging him back a step, taking his hand as she led him towards the bedroom.

Spencer followed her, stopping only when she turned back, giving him a sexy grin.

"Now- lose the clothes, pretty boy, or I'm going to tear them off you…" she demanded.

He laughed lightly, doing as she asked before moving over to the bed where she lay.

"We're down to fifteen minutes," she teased him.

"I locked the door… they can wait…" Spencer grinned, pushing her back onto the mattress.

"Mmm," Scarlett arched against him, stretching like a cat as he covered her. "Derek has a key…" she laughed as he lowered his head and groaned in frustration.

Spencer kissed her throat before pulling away from her. He stood, going over to the bedroom door, closing and locking it.

"There… now the children won't disturb us," he told her, grabbing her ankle and tugging her to the edge of the bed. He kneeled at the side and started kissing the inside of her thigh…

Scarlett sucked in a breath as he lifted her leg and trailed his lips along the sensitive flesh behind her knee. He flicked his tongue over the area as she moaned in pleasure.

Spencer took her by the hips and flipped her over before him, using his lips and tongue on her skin, working his way up from her knees. He heard her make a squeaking noise when he nipped her ass.

"Holy hell, Spence… that's going to leave a mark…" she giggled.

"Sorry, couldn't help myself," he teased, lightly biting the other cheek as well, making her writhe under him.

Scarlett tried to turn to face him, but he held her in place, trailing his tongue up her spine, reaching her shoulder, then the back of her neck. He brushed her hair over her shoulder, exposing her neck more fully. Scarlett arched as he used his teeth lightly over the cords of muscle there, making her shiver.

When he entered her, she felt her muscles contract around him almost instantly, taking her by surprise. Her heart sped up and she cried out.

The sound burned like a liquid fire through his veins, pushing him to the edge… he held back only until she was ready to follow him over…

Spencer felt his body shake as his arms went weak and he collapsed on top her. He could feel her chuckling underneath him.

"Can't move…" he mumbled, his face pressed against the mattress. Scarlett giggled.

"Good- then we're even," she said as she twisted under him, keeping him on top of her but moving into a more comfortable position. Laying his head against her chest, he closed his eyes and listened to her heart race under his ear.

Scarlett ran her fingers through his hair, listening to his breathing. She grinned when in a few minutes it turned even and steady as he drifted into a light sleep.

"My heart," she whispered, pressing a kiss to his head.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Scarlett nudged Spencer to her side when she heard the familiar sound of Derek's SUV pull up outside the apartment building. She stepped over to the window and peeked out.

"Hey, sleepy head… company's coming. You might want to get dressed…"

She went back over to where he lay and poked a finger into his stomach. He opened one eye.

"Not sleeping…" he mumbled, hiding his face into the closest pillow.

"Is that so? Then you must have passed out from over exertion… I guess you just can't keep up with me. I'll have to remember to go easier on you, boy…" she teased, dancing back away from him when he swung out an arm to try to snag her close.

"Ha, ha…" he said, sticking his tongue out at her. He sat up, looking around for his clothes as he picked on her.

"I may have over exerted myself, but I didn't hear you complaining, brat," he told her with a toothy grin.

Scarlett handed him his clothes from the floor. Moving to stand between his knees, she tugged on his hair, leaned forward, and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips.

"Cheeky boy…" she called him, her eyes flashing with mischief. "We'll see who begs for mercy later," she told him, tapping his cheek lightly.

Spencer shook his head and chuckled as she flounced out of the bedroom, still naked.

"You're going to need clothes, if Garcia and Morgan are here…" he called out to her. He heard the knock at the door as he spoke.

"You threw them on the floor out here…" she reminded him in a hushed voice and a giggle.

Spencer tucked his shirt into his pants and cinched his belt. Moving into the living room, he saw her still searching for her clothes, standing in only her t-shirt.

"Scarlett…"

"I can't find my underwear… they are MIA," she told him with a laugh.

Reid shook his head. "Go get other ones, crazy girl… I'll answer the door," he watched as she scooted back into the bedroom, listening for the door to close before opening the front one.

"Hey, guys… what took you so long?" Spencer asked, as Penelope and Derek came in, each carrying a tray and container.

"Baby Girl insisted on making egg nog…" Morgan started, holding up an insulated cooler.

"You can't decorate for the holidays without the nog! Or hot chocolate…" she told them, setting a thermos up on the counter.

"Or apparently brownies… and cookies…" Derek said, foisting another tray at Spencer.

Reid's eyes widened. "Brownies?" he said, pulling the cover off as he balanced it. He grabbed two from the container before he set it down.

Penelope giggled, looking over at Derek. "See? Told you! Nobody says 'no' to my brownies…"

"Reid has a sweet tooth that leads into a hollow leg…" Morgan teased, as he grabbed two for himself. "He'll eat that whole tray…"

Penny shook her head and pointed a finger at the two of them.

"Save some for later!" she warned them as she poured two cups of her egg nog, and headed towards the bedroom. "Scarlett is going to want some too! Is she in here?" she asked in her usual hurried way.

Garcia pushed open the door before Spencer could even form an answer. He saw Scarlett just pulling on a pair of yoga pants as Garcia opened the door and felt his face heat.

"Knock, knock, sweetie… I bear alcoholic beverages of the holiday kind," she called out as she let herself in, holding out the mugs before her.

Scarlett yanked up her pants, turning to look over her shoulder at her friend's voice.

"Did I hear you say you brought brownies?" she grinned, pulling her shirt out, over her pants.

"They are in the kitchen. I told the boys to leave you some…"

Scarlett reached out for the drink and took some. "This is heavenly…" she told Penelope. "You didn't have to go through all this trouble, Penny," she told her, taking another sip.

"I know, but I love this kind of stuff, you know that. Besides, I figured it would buy you and Reid some extra time," she teased.

"Ah," Scarlett grinned. "I appreciate that…" she looked out the door, catching the look on Spencer's face. "I think it's geeking Spence out a little, knowing that you guys know we have a sex life," she laughed.

Penelope chuckled. "I think I can 'geek' him out even more… your underwear are on the side table, beside the couch, honey buns…" she teased. "Shall I retrieve them for you?"

Scarlett blushed and covered her mouth. "Oh my God… yes please!" she laughed. "I don't want Derek noticing them… Reid would never hear the end of it!"

"Truth…" Penny agreed, turning to head back into the living room. "I'll be casual…" she joked as she moved over to where she'd spotted the discarded garment.

Scarlett followed, heading into the kitchen. She snatched up a handful of cookies, distracting the guys.

"So, where are these containers of ornaments?" she asked Spencer.

"Down in the storage, in the basement," he answered, watching Garcia as she picked up Scarlett's lost underwear and tucked them behind her back.

Scarlett held in the laughter that bubbled up in her throat at the stricken look on his face.

"Why don't you guys go get them?" she asked with a wide grin.

"Uh, yeah… Let's go…" he told Morgan, heading towards the door.

Derek raised an eyebrow, looking between Reid and Scarlett. He shrugged, grabbed another brownie and followed his friend.

"Sure," he said, heading out the door. Spencer looked back quickly between Scarlett and Penelope.

"Go…" Scarlett mouthed the word to him as she headed over gather her belongings from her friend. Spencer nodded, following Morgan to the basement storage.

Penelope handed the underwear over, giving Scarlett a bright smile.

"So, when does Norie get here?" she asked, changing the subject.

"The plane arrives at eight, the day after tomorrow…" Scarlett answered, tossing her clothing in the laundry basket in the bathroom. "I can't wait… I'm so thrilled she wanted to come back," she said as she came back in the living room.

"We got the tree… now we just need to decorate it…" she said, looking at the tree lying in the middle of the floor. "I guess we need the stand before we can go any further," she stated, turning as she heard the guys enter the apartment.

"We got the stand right here, baby girl…" Morgan called out as he carried two boxes. Reid wasn't far behind him, dragging in two more.

"Holy crap Spence… how much stuff do you have?" Scarlett asked, walking around the boxes, opening them to see what they held.

"Too much, if you ask me…" Morgan teased.

Reid looked over the chaos that was now filling the space.

"Yeah, I've collected a lot over the years," he said, opening another box and pulling out the stand.

Scarlett looked at a nativity she uncovered. She set it on the fireplace, plugging it into an outlet. A star glowed over the scene, illuminating the decoration and part of the room.

"I like it… it sets the proper mood," Penelope nodded.

"Let's get this tree up!" Scarlett declared with excitement in her eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Scarlett and Derek stood back as Spencer readied to cut the bindings off the tree.

"It's straight…" Morgan said. "Go for it, Reid…"

Scarlett covered her eyes. "Don't get hurt!" she warned him, peeking out between her fingers as he cut the lines. He jumped back as it unraveled and the limbs sprung free.

Garcia laughed. "Good thing he's fast," she joked. "I'm going for a refill…" she held out her mug to the others. "Anyone else?"

Scarlett heaved a sigh as she looked Spencer over, making sure he wasn't harmed.

"Yeah, get me some… make it a double," she teased as she pulled a box of ornaments over closer to her.

"Will do!" Penelope called out, heading into the kitchen.

"Get me another too, beautiful…" Morgan answered, looking at a little blown glass angel he took from the box. "I'm afraid to touch half this stuff…" he muttered, watching the thin glass as if it would bite him.

Spencer shook his head, taking the ornament from his friend.

"Just don't break anything," he teased, hanging the glass from a branch. "That's all I ask…"

"Some of these look old, Spence…" Scarlett took another out of its paper wrapping. She held it up to admire the delicate glass as shown in the light. A swirl of silver ran through its center, looking like a starburst. She reached up and hung it on a branch where it would catch the most sunlight.

"I picked up a few here and there… if they caught my eye," he shrugged. "Some may be antiques."

"Oh…" Scarlett exclaimed as she unwrapped another, turning the little penguin over in her hand. "And some are just cute…" she giggled as it jingled.

"Yeah- it's a mix of things," he said with a laugh as she handed it over.

Penelope handed everyone another mug of egg nog, as she spotted the penguin.

"Oh! It's adorable!" she cried, reaching for the ornament. Reid smiled and gave it to her to hang on the tree.

"There's a whole family of them somewhere here," Spencer said, sitting next to Scarlett as he began to dig in the box. He found another, giving it to Penny.

"They have to hang together," she told them. "It's only right," she insisted, looking through the papers herself for the others.

Scarlett laughed, pulling a different box forward. "Don't go too crazy, Pens," she warned her friend. "We still have to deal with the lights first," she reminded her as she pulled out a string of tangled lights.

"Ugh, you are one of 'those' people," Scarlett nudged Spencer, handing him the lights.

Spencer looked at the mess and wrinkled his nose. "One of what?" he asked confused.

"One of those people who stuff the lights away in a ball, not thinking ahead to the snarled mess the next year…" she teased, starting to unravel the mess. She took an end and plugged it into the outlet, letting out an exaggerated sigh as they lit up in her hands.

"I'm going to have to teach you the 'right' way to put the lights away for next time," she told him, her voice showing distress.

"I'll get that," he responded, tugging on the other end of the tangle.

"No!" she exclaimed as she pulled them back. Looking sheepish, she closed her mouth, throwing a look over at her brother.

Morgan laughed. "Better let her go, Reid… her OCD is in full throttle. All you can do is step away slowly and let her do her thing or you'll drive her nuts," he told Spencer.

Spencer let go and Scarlett started to breathe again, dragging the box of lights over to the chair. She started untangling and twisting the pile back into shape. He saw her lips moving, but whatever it was she was repeating in her mind was going too fast for him to keep up.

"OCD? That's all this is?" he asked Morgan as he watched her nervously. It was almost like watching her when she was in a flashback.

Derek looked over at her, trying to see what Reid was seeing. She was totally engrossed in the lights, but nothing seemed out of place.

"Scarlett…" Morgan called her name, pulling her attention away from the lights. She huffed a bit at the interruption but kept at the work in front of her as she looked up at her brother.

"What?" she asked. Spencer saw her lips still moving silently as her eyes flicked back to the lights when she hit a knot.

"You're making pretty boy nervous… you still with us?" he asked.

"What?" Scarlett shot a look at Spencer. "I'm fine, this is just driving me crazy," she stated, her hands still moving over the lights. "Why? Why would you be worried?" she asked Reid, her brows knitting together.

"What are you repeating, Scarlett?" Spencer asked, moving closer to her. She twitched away from his hand when he came near. He shot her a questioning look.

"Oh!" she said surprised. She shook her head a little and forced herself to stop. "I don't know… I didn't even realize I was doing it… I just have to; I can't leave it like this…"

Spencer knelt down in front of her, watching her eyes.

"Okay, go ahead… I want to see what you are repeating," he told her, watching her lips.

"I'm not…" she insisted. Her hands twitched. "Just let me finish…"

"I'm not stopping you, Katy," he told her. She let out a tense breath as he continued to watch her.

She looked from him, back to the lights. The need to fix the tangle was stronger than the fact that he was watching her.

She started unraveling, but threw him a dirty look. "I feel like a smear on a slide," she snapped, letting him know she wasn't happy.

Spencer looked into her eyes. "I told you, you are my favorite subject," he reminded her quietly.

"Yeah, well, it's getting annoying, _Dr_. Reid," she said snarkily.

"Mmm-hmm," he acknowledged, but didn't move away.

Scarlett sighed again, turning her attention back to the lights. After a few minutes, she forgot he was even there as she became engrossed in the compulsion.

Spencer moved back as she reached for another tangle, her eyes moving over them fast, tracking over the lights as if she had already straightened them out in her mind's eye. When her lips started silently moving again, he read them. As she separated the strands in her hands, he actually had a difficult time keeping up with what she was saying.

Morgan leaned closer to Reid, watching Scarlett's lips move silently.

"So, what's she repeating?" he asked as Scarlett untangled the rest of the lights in very little time.

"I can't figure it out," Reid stated to Morgan's surprise. "Actually, it's a string of numbers…" he said, seeing the numbers replay in his mind. He squinted a bit, as if seeing them on a board, reading them.

Penelope sat on Derek's lap, watching her friends. "I think we lost them," she teased, kissing Derek's cheek.

Morgan chuckled. "I always said Scarlett's mind was on a different plane of existence," he teased. "Someone should have warned Reid not to get sucked in…"

Garcia shook her head. "Nah… Reid was already on her frequency," she told him, snuggling back against him as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "That's why they work…"

Scarlett sat back, clearing her mind for a minute before looking between the faces of her friends.

"Why are you staring at me?" she asked. "Geez…" she pushed herself away from them, taking the lights with her.

"Come on Pens, let's get these on!" she handed one side to Garcia and started wrapping the tree.

Derek still looked at Spencer. "_You_ don't know what she doing?" he joked.

Spencer shook his head. "No… she was repeating numbers… sequences of numbers, actually…" he stopped. "Fibonacci," he told Morgan.

"In English, Reid…" Derek teased.

"I just got it… she was repeating a Fibonacci sequence," Spencer told him. "It's a mathematical code where each subsequent number product is the sum of the previous two…"

Morgan held up his hand, stopping him. "She was doing math…"

Spencer nodded. "Basically… But Fibonacci sequences are infinite; there is no 'answer' to it. I think her brain was using it as a straight line, indirectly, because the tangle in the string of lights upset its sense of order…" he shrugged. Morgan just shook his head.

"Uh… for now, we'd better let it drop, before she really gets mad…" Reid stated as he watched Scarlett scowl in their direction.

"It's decorating time, boys," Penelope ordered, as Scarlett turned on the surround sound, drowning the room in music and disrupting their conversation. "So get your sexy butts over here… We aren't doing all the work…"

Derek threw a grin over to Reid. "Maybe my sexy butt enjoys the view of your sexy butt more from over here," he teased Garcia.

"Ahhh, yes," Penny grinned. "But if you don't help, watching my sexy butt from a distance is all you'll be doing…" she laughed as Morgan came up behind her, moving to the music.

Scarlett grinned as they gave each other a quick kiss. It made her so happy to see them as a couple.

"Geez, come on guys…" she teased them, tossing the roll of lights towards them. "Were we ever that bad?" she asked Spencer with a teasing gleam in her eyes.

"Of course not…" he answered, trying to keep a straight face. Derek snorted, shoving Reid into Scarlett's arms.

"Liars," he called them both, turning his head to kiss Penny again.

"Yeah, pretty much…" Spencer agreed, taking Scarlett in his arms, dancing in place to the music. "I still can't keep my hands off you," he told her in a lower tone.

"I'd be pretty disappointed if you did, farm boy," she told him, standing on her toes to reach his lips. He wrapped his arms around her waist, leaning her back into a dip before pulling her back into his arms.

"Okay, okay… stop showing off now," Morgan laughed, shoving a handful of Reid's hair into his face. "I thought you ladies were complaining about getting this done?"

Spencer tossed his hair back and it fell forward again. "Thanks," he said to Derek, trying to get the unruly locks back into place. Derek laughed as another piece fell forward.

Scarlett took one of the elastic bands from her own hair and stood on the chair to reach his, pulling it back from his face.

"Some people will never understand the struggle," she sighed as her own curls now bounced in her face.

"Riiighhht," Morgan snarked. "You don't know anything until you've dealt with a 'fro…" he told her. Scarlett laughed. "At least you _can_ use cute little tie backs and 'scrunchies'…" he teased.

"You got me there," she admitted on a giggle. "But I was always jealous of Sarah's cornrows…"

Derek laughed loudly. "So much that you insisted mom try them in your hair…"

"Shut up," Scarlett chuckled. "We are not going to discuss that travesty," she warned him.

"I wonder if Mom has any pictures?" he snickered.

Scarlett gave him a dirty look. "No. I burned them all…"

"How bad could it have been?" Penny asked. "Even I've worn my hair that way once or twice…"

"You aren't a redhead…" Morgan reminded her.

"Think Medusa's snakes…" Scarlett added. Spencer choked on his eggnog when he laughed. "Laugh it up boy," she grinned. "I'll give you rows while you sleep…"

"They'd probably look cute on him," Penny joked.

"Probably…" Scarlett rolled her eyes. "Boys suck…"

She handed the remaining roll of lights off to the guys so they could finish stringing the top of the tall tree.

"But they do come in handy, sometimes," Penny stated as they reached up alongside the tree.

"Sometimes," Scarlett agreed, watching Reid stretch. "And I can appreciate the view…" she admitted.

"Mmm-hmm," Garcia nodded, watching Morgan moved the lights higher. She wrapped her arm around her girlfriend's shoulders. "How did we get so lucky? Good looking and good-hearted guys…" she gave a sigh and happy smile.

"Karma owed me for my hair," Scarlett groused, making a funny face at Penny.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Spencer waited along the throngs of people as he watched Scarlett rush through the crowd towards Norie. He saw her pick the younger girl up in a bear hug and swing her around. Most had stopped in their tracks at the squealing and were now either giving the girls a wide berth or indulgent smiles as Scarlett turned back towards him.

"Your family?" one man asked who had stopped beside him to watch them approach.

Spencer grinned. "Yeah…"

"Lucky man," he told him. "Your wife is beautiful, and your daughter looks just like her…"

Reid opened his mouth to correct the man, but then just smiled.

"Thanks," he said as Scarlett reached his side. The man only nodded, tipping his hat to Scarlett and Norie as he moved on his way.

Scarlett was too oblivious to even take notice, as Norie kept talking as she walked alongside her sister.

"So Mama said to tell you both, and Uncle Derek and Aunt Penny that she insists you all have to come back home for New Year's…" she was saying, taking Scarlett's hand with one of hers and Spencer's with the other.

"She even made 'the face'…" Norie said with a nod.

Scarlett laughed, swinging her hand with Norie's as they headed out to catch a cab. "I'll call to let her know you made it here," she told her. "As long as we are still quiet on the work front, I think it'll be fine…" she looked up at Spencer for confirmation.

He nodded. "Sounds good to me…" he grinned, stepping up to the nearest cab to move Noreen's bags inside. He listened to them chatter with each other and make plans with Fran Morgan over the phone, the entire ride home.

Once the reached their building, Scarlett pushed open the apartment door as Norie scooted inside and Spencer brought in the girl's belongings.

"Oh, look at all these decorations!" the little girl squealed. "And that tree! It's huge! It looks like it was made for that corner…" Noreen made a beeline to stand in front of it, checking out the ornaments.

Scarlett hung back for a moment, waiting as Reid put her sister's bags into the spare bedroom. When he joined her, watching the little girl bouncing around their place, she looked up at him.

"Thank you," she spoke softly to him, kissing his cheek.

"For what?" he asked, pulling her close.

"For everything," she told him. "You didn't exactly sign on for this…"

Spencer watched as the girl moved through the space like any other child would, touching things, moving some, squealing at others…

"Yes, I did, Katy," he told her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and kissing her forehead. "Don't ever doubt that…" he whispered against her skin.

His family…

Spencer picked his head up as he heard a distinctive crash, followed by Norie's voice muttering what sounded like a curse.

"Oh, _fluffy_ _monsters_…"

Scarlett laughed loudly and covered her mouth. She moved from his arms to go over to where Norie now stood looking over a shattered ornament.

"I knocked it off with my coat sleeve," she told them, her face red with embarrassment. "I'm so sorry…"

Scarlett shook her head even as Spencer came to stand by the little girl.

"Fluffy monsters?" he asked, still more interested in the expletive than what had gotten smashed.

Scarlett giggled. "Mama's words," she told him. "We aren't allowed to curse," she explained. "Fluffy monsters takes the place of Mother Fu-…"

"Got it," Spencer interrupted her, settling his hands on Noreen's shoulders, looking down at the girl. He chuckled when Scarlett stuck her tongue out at him. Norie leaned back into him, still sad, and he felt his heart trip.

"It's okay, sweetie… I didn't really like that one anyway," he told her, pressing a kiss to her hair. "Besides, I've broken more than that, and I'm sure I'll do it many more times… Just watch the glass, don't get cut…" he said, lifting her away from the shards and setting her over in a safer place.

Norie peeked up at him. "You're sure?" she breathed out.

Spencer looked down into eyes that were mirrors of Scarlett's. He cleared his throat against the tightness that reached there.

"Yeah, it was an accident, short cake," he told her, ruffling her hair. "You didn't throw it on the floor, did you?" he asked her, watching those eyes.

Norie shook her head, biting her bottom lip. "No…"

"Okay, then…" he nodded. "Go grab the broom from the kitchen closet, so we can clean this up before your sister gets cut…" he told her, looking over to where Scarlett was picking up the larger pieces with her hands.

"Leave that to the dust pan," he warned her.

"I've got this," Scarlett grinned.

"Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of," he stated, picking the pieces from her hand and dropping them into the pan Norie brought over.

"Your sister is danger prone…" he told the little girl.

"Hey… I am not…" she laughed at his teasing.

"Uh-huh, who got her fingers burned because she 'forgot' to put on an oven mitt when she was taking out the cookies from the oven?" Spencer asked.

Norie giggled when Scarlett rolled her eyes. "I did that last week, too," she admitted. "Mama nearly pitched a fit…" she said, holding out her hand to show Scarlett the marks healing on her fingers.

Scarlett winked. "Spencer did pitch a fit," she told her sister, showing her matching burns on her own hand.

Spencer sighed, taking both their hands and checking out the damage. "Okay, so both of you stay out of the kitchen," he ordered.

"Okay, daddy," Norie teased, running into her bedroom to get something from her bag.

Scarlett felt the blood drain from her at the little girl's words. Spencer saw her face flush white and quickly dropped the dustpan to the floor in front of her.

"Sit down," he ordered.

"No…" she told him, her breath catching in her chest. Her eyes darted around the room.

"Scarlett… look at me; right now," he demanded. Her eyes met his and he felt her tremble.

"You are not going to do this… not in front of Norie…" he warned her, seeing the panic in her eyes. "You don't want that… I know you don't. So just sit down, with me… focus on me…"

Scarlett sat, curling her legs under her, fighting the urge to run. She leaned into Spencer's side, trying to breathe.

"I'm okay, I'll be alright… it just threw me off guard," she told him, regulating her breathing to his. She felt him kiss her hair as he held her tightly.

"She reminded you of you…" he guessed.

"Yeah… just a little…" she said as she buried her face in his shoulder and breathed deeply again.

Norie came blasting back into the living room, carrying a bag of presents.

"Can I put these under the tree now?" she asked, looking back quickly over towards them. Spencer saw her eyes take in the scene before her in seconds. Her face changed slightly, showing concern, and locked her gaze on his.

He shook his head slightly, from behind Scarlett's shoulder, hoping she wouldn't ask anything at this point. Noreen averted her eyes, looking back down at the presents before shooting Scarlett a bright smile.

"Can I? Please," she asked.

Scarlett grinned, feeling some of the panic in her heart disappear at the little girl's joy.

"Of course you can…" she answered, squeezing Reid's knee as she moved to finish cleaning up the broken glass. She took the pan into the kitchen, dumping it and getting a bottle of water from the fridge. She could feel Spencer's eyes on her the whole while.

'_I'm alright now,_' she mouthed the words to him and met his gaze, so he could see her eyes. Spencer nodded once and slid to the floor to sit beside Noreen.

"What have we got here?" he asked the girl, picking up one of the packages as if to shake it.

"Not until Christmas morning," Norie grinned, taking the present from him and placing it under the tree. "You'll find out then," she teased, nudging his hands back from a different one.

"Awe, come on," he pretended to whine, smiling down at the little girl.

Scarlett watched them from across the room and felt her heart settle in her chest.

"Okay, pumpkin," she called out to Norie. "Time for bed…" she told the girl. "We've got plans for tomorrow… so you need your rest," she warned her.

Norie smiled brightly, standing before Spencer, pulling him into a hug. "Okay… Good night, Spence… Good night, Sissy," she hugged Scarlett as she passed her. Scarlett pressed a kiss into the girl's hair.

"Don't forget to brush your teeth…" she reminded her.

"I won't…"

Spencer woke through the night, hearing sounds coming from the kitchen. He scooted out from under Scarlett's arm carefully, not to disturb her sleeping form. Grabbing his robe from the bottom of the bed, he cinched it at his waist, moving into the living room.

He saw Noreen sitting at the kitchen table, glass of milk at one hand near a pile of cookies, while she read a book in the other.

"Hey, little one," he whispered, snatching a cookie from her as he sat alongside her. "Couldn't sleep?" he asked, looking down at the title of the book she'd chosen.

Noreen shook her head slightly, turning the book a bit to show him. "No. I thought maybe this would help," she responded.

"Could be," he said, seeing she was holding a volume of poems by Shelley. "I doubt the sugar rush will, though," he told her, taking another chocolate chip.

"Good thing you are here to help me get through them then, right?" she asked, shoving some more his way with a giggle.

"Yep," he gave her a grin, taking the half of the pile. "Pass me the milk, too…" he said, pouring himself a glass.

"Why couldn't you sleep?" he asked after they munched in silence for a few more minutes.

Norie shrugged, keeping her eyes on her cookie. He let her sit a bit longer, waiting her out. She sighed heavily.

"Why was Scarlett so scared earlier?" she asked quietly. "Something scared her awfully bad…"

Spencer saw her little face scrunch up and look up at him. He nodded, watching Norie's eyes carefully.

"Something triggered a bad memory," he told her honestly. "Sometimes she can't control when it happens and it scares her…"

He could see her take in that bit of information, mulling it over.

"She has a lot of bad memories about our father," Norie surmised.

"Yes," Spencer confirmed. "But she doesn't want that touching you, Norie… It's not something she wants you to worry about…"

Noreen looked over at him. "I read the police reports, Spencer… hers and the others," she told him. "I'm not untouched… I know what he did, what he was capable of…" she admitted, looking down at the table.

"I even wondered, if – if things were different, if he wasn't sick… while I was with him, if it would have been the same for me," she said quietly.

Spencer heard the tears in her voice. He sighed, taking her hand in his.

"He was a very sick man, little one, long before the cancer ever hit him…" he told her. "That doesn't mean you, or Scarlett, have to carry that burden with you. Scarlett has chosen to make her life into something better from it. She helps put people like him away so no one else has to go through what she did…" he reminded her.

"Sometimes what happens to us, defines us," she said flatly.

"Not always in a bad way, Norie. Your sister has decided to help, that was her choice. That's what defines her… her good heart- not what happened to her…"

Noreen nodded, tears filling her eyes. "I feel bad, though, that she went through that, while I didn't have too…" she sniffled.

"Ah, God…" Spencer pulled her chair closer, wrapping an arm around the girl's shoulder, pulling her up against his chest.

"Don't ever think that, sweetie," he told her, pressing a kiss to her hair. "And know that Scarlett would never ever want you to feel that way. You are the best thing that ever happened to her…" he told her, cuddling her close.

Reid held her that way for a while, letting her calm down, quietly talking to her, until he felt her weight shift heavily onto his chest. He heard her breathing change as she dropped into a sleep, and carried her into her bed. He tucked her in, reminded of a few times from his own childhood, when his mom had done quite the same. He watched her sleep for a moment before returning to clean up the kitchen.

He stopped short when he saw Scarlett standing there, wiping down the table.

"Hey…" he said quietly. "I didn't know you were awake…"

"Second best…" was all she said. Spencer looked at her, confused. She picked up her head, meeting his eyes. He could see they were bright with unshed tears.

"She's the second best thing that has ever happened to me, Spencer Reid," she told him, taking him by the hand, leading him back towards the bedroom. She turned, giving him a look over her shoulder that made his heart stop.

"_You_ are the first…"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Scarlett watched Spencer and Norie circle once more around the ice. When they got back to the entrance where she stood, she nodded.

"You're ready to try now?" Reid asked, taking her hand.

"I think so…" she responded hesitantly. She watched the other skaters' feet again, trying to see the rhythm in it…

"I can't believe you lived in Chicago your whole life and never went ice skating," he said, pulling her out onto the rink.

"And I can't believe you have, Vegas-boy," she retorted, grabbing at his hands as her feet slipped out from under her.

"We have skating rinks in Vegas, Scarlett," he laughed.

Norie skidded up to them, spinning to a stop just ahead of them. "Come on, Scarlett, it's fun!" she laughed, skating away again.

"Show off!" Scarlett called to her sister, still trying to make her feet follow what she wanted them to do.

Spencer grinned. "Try listening to the music to relax," he told her. "You're keeping your knees and back too stiff," he mentioned, receiving a withering glare.

"If they played something with a beat to it…" Scarlett muttered.

"You are certainly grumpy this morning," he teased her. "Not enough sleep?" he grinned, moving away from her but close enough to catch her if she started to fall.

"Uh… yeah you'd know why… since you were the reason," she grinned evilly. "You better move back, Reid…" she said dryly. "You're in trouble if I can catch you…"

Scarlett dug the blades in, pushing forward, trying the foot over foot cross action she saw some of the others on the rink performing that had the best speed.

"Scarlett… you might want to start off slower…" he warned her as she raced across the ice.

She only grinned as she made the corner easily, turning to face him.

Norie skated in between them, laughing. "You're going to hurt yourself, sis…" she teased, moving to cut off to the side, weaving in and out of the crowd.

"Snarky miss… where did you learn to be so mouthy?" she called out to her.

"I learned from the best!" Norie called back. Scarlett laughed, catching herself as she tripped slightly.

"Whoops!" she kicked out a bit, trying to stop herself from falling. She felt Reid take her by her elbow, keeping her up.

"Thanks," she took his hand, lacing her fingers through his, moving in time with him.

"See, it's not so bad," he smiled, giving her hand a squeeze.

The sound speakers overhead changed over to "Counting Stars" by OneRepublic.

"Now, that's what I'm talking about," Scarlett sang out, moving to the music.

Spencer moved in front of her, skating backwards to the rhythm, placing his hands on her hips, turning her in a circle. They skated across the ice, moving carefully in and out of the other people.

Scarlett lost herself in the music and watching Spencer move in front of her. She barely took notice when he moved to her side. She sped up, keeping time with the song, spinning around in a circle, toeing to stop in front of him.

"_Everything that kills me, makes me feel alive_…" she sang out, stopping for a moment, turning on her foot and back into motion with the music.

Spencer laughed as she spun in a quick circle, moving back over the ice as if she'd been skating for her whole life. He caught up with her quickly, taking her hand and leaning down to increase his speed.

Scarlett fell into place alongside him, following his lead as the music filled her head. Norie spotted them and cut across the ice, taking Scarlett's other hand to move with them. Scarlett laughed as the wind blew through her hair, picking it up from her face and whipping it behind her like a banner.

Singing along with the lyrics, she sent a look over to Spencer then towards Norie.

"You ready for this, little one?" she teased. "Can you keep up?" Scarlett asked them, moving low and fast by herself, to the center of the ice.

Norie came to a stop next to Spencer, giving him a look. "Who's being the show off now?" she laughed as the song's rhythm changed and Scarlett swung around doing a fast scratch spin.

Spencer saw Norie clap her hands as Scarlett skated back towards them when the song ended.

"You did great!" she told Scarlett, doing a spin herself. "And you were worried…" she teased.

Scarlett shrugged. "I just got lucky that I saw someone else doing it. I just copied them," she told her, as she stopped to catch her breath.

Spencer moved to wrap an arm around Scarlett, leading her off the ice. "Why don't we grab some hot chocolate, take a break before heading over to the museum…" he asked the girls.

"Sounds good to me," Scarlett grinned. "How about you, sweetie?"

Norie nodded. "Can we still do the horse drawn carriage ride? Is there time?"

Spencer checked his watch as they sat down to take off their skates.

"We have enough time to get the hot chocolates to go and still make the ride…" he answered.

Scarlett stepped out of her skates first. "I'll go grab the hot chocolate," she grinned, handing over the rental skates. "You have return duties," she told Spencer, dropping a quick kiss to his nose.

Spencer grinned as he took her skates, setting them next to him. Norie pulled hers off, jumping up to follow Scarlett in her socks, carrying her shoes with her.

"I'll help her carry them… Hurry up Spencer! We have a ride to catch!" she threw back over her shoulder as she chased after her sister.

He pulled off his last skate, putting on his shoes and taking the rentals over to the counter. He headed over towards the concession stand, meeting them on the way back.

"Here," Norie bounced before him, handing over his drink. "Scarlett got cinnamon sticks too," she babbled excitedly as she waved the candy stick around. "Let's go, guys, come on!" she grabbed his hand, dragging him towards the street.

"Okay, okay…" he laughed. "Hang on; we have plenty of time, short cake…"

Scarlett watched Norie pulled Spencer along at a fast trot. She walked along at a regular pace, enjoying the moment, locking it into her memories.

They got to the pick-up location with a few minutes to spare. The carriage was moving up the street and Norie started bouncing again, impatient.

Scarlett placed her hand on the younger girl's shoulder.

"Watch," she told her quietly. "Don't hurry the minutes away, little one… breathe them in and enjoy them…"

Norie looked up at Scarlett, forcing herself to stop bouncing.

"How?" she asked.

Scarlett smiled. "Use all of your senses. See the lights? Watch how the horses move as the come up the street… Now close your eyes. Breathe in and smell all the scents around you, listen to the sounds. Make everything move in slow motion in your mind, and lock it all in for a memory to keep… Don't wish it all away too fast," she told her, pressing a kiss to her hair.

Spencer watched the change in the little girl as she did as Scarlett instructed. He looked at Scarlett, seeing her eyes lock onto him. He moved closer, leaning forward to kiss her lips softly.

"Is that how you do it?" he asked. "Everything is a visual memory…"

"Pretty much," she grinned up at him. "I hoard the good ones," she admitted. "And this is a good one," she told him, leaning against his chest, closing her eyes, listening to his heartbeat.

Spencer wrapped his arm around her, holding her close.

"I'm glad," he told her quietly, hugging her against him as the carriage approached.

They boarded the carriage and readied for the ride. Scarlett moved closer to Spencer, settling in under his arm, tucking Norie in against her side.

"Now, try it again," she told her sister. "Take it all in, like you are reading a book, and hold it, using all your senses."

Spencer found himself following her direction, trying to lock the moments into a long term memory. When he closed his eyes, he breathed in the smell of Scarlett's hair, her perfume… he leaned closer, pressing his cheek against her head. He heard Scarlett chuckle lightly and opened one eye, looking down at her. She was peeking up at him through her lashes.

"You are supposed to spread it out, farm boy… cast a wider net…" she teased him, knowing that he had started to try the exercise. "You aren't supposed to stop at what's beside you," she laughed.

Spencer kissed her temple, nudging his nose against her cheek and moving to her ear.

"What's beside me is all that matters to me…" he whispered. He touched her cheek, turning her head, moving over her lips gently with his own. He heard her sigh and breathed it in, stroking her neck softly. He felt her shiver under his touch and took the kiss deeper.

Scarlett pressed a hand to his chest, giving in for a moment before pushing him back a little. She licked her lips as he reined himself back, tasting his flavor there.

"We've got company, darling," she reminded him gently.

Spencer pressed his forehead against hers and growled lowly in his chest. Scarlett patted his cheek, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips.

'_Later'_, she mouthed the word to him.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The horse drawn carriage took them through the streets of the older sections of DC, passed some of the monuments and around the areas that were lit with Christmas spirit.

Spencer watched as Norie and Scarlett both took in the sights, since he'd seen DC at Christmas before…

The two of them hadn't even so much as blinked since the tour started, taking in all the sights. Scarlett leaned into Spencer's shoulder, watching Norie enjoy the city.

"It's all so beautiful," Norie stated, awe in her voice, as they passed by the White House and the National Tree. "I can't believe that I'm really here. It feels like I'm dreaming," she said as the Monument came into view.

"It is beautiful, isn't it?" Scarlett agreed. "I see some of these sights every day, but never like this," she commented. "It makes a difference, going through in the carriage…"

Norie looked over at her sister, watching her face. "You've never done this?" she asked incredulously, waving her hands around for emphasis.

Scarlett laughed. "No, not quite like this, little one… I've been through here in a car, on my bike, and once Spence and I took a walking tour, but never in the carriages," she admitted.

"Oh, geez… I think if I lived here, I'd do this every day…" she stated quietly, watching the lights pass by.

"Mmm… I don't know if I'd want to do it every day," Scarlett said. "It might take some of the shine from it," she told the girl. "But maybe we could make it a tradition… Every year, around this time, we'll get together and take a ride…"

Norie's eyes widened. "Promise?" she asked.

Scarlett watched the little girl's face, seeing the intensity in her question.

"I promise, Norie. Every year we'll come back…"

Spencer saw the tears fill the younger girl's eyes. "Hey, none of that," he told her, reaching his arm around Scarlett and pulling Norie closer to them. "No crying allowed," he told her as he ran his hand down her hair.

"I- I…" the girl stammered, pushing her face into Scarlett's coat, attempting to stop the tears.

Scarlett held her close, feeling her own tears threaten. "It's okay, baby… it's alright…"

"I didn't know if you'd want me around…" Noreen admitted, her words mumbled against Scarlett's chest.

Scarlett exchanged a look with Spencer. Tears tracked out of the corners of her eyes.

"Ah, sweet girl… and here I was afraid you wouldn't want to come…" Scarlett told her, hugging her close.

Norie sniffled and picked her head up, wiping at her face with her mittened hand. "Really? Why?"

Scarlett laughed as Reid handed her his handkerchief. She took it, wiping at Norie's cheeks.

"Your sister thought that maybe you didn't want to be around," Spencer told the girl truthfully, taking back the handkerchief and wiping Scarlett's face also. He dabbed at the tracks of her tears, kissing her lightly.

"'Never, at any crisis of your life, have I known you to have a handkerchief', Katy Scarlett…" he teased her, quoting a line from Gone With the Wind.

Scarlett laughed. "No, you are quite right," she grinned, taking the linen and sticking it back into his pocket. "You…" she shook her head, smiling. "You always make me smile…" she told him. Turning back to Noreen, she caught the girl in a hug.

"Nothing would make me happier than to have you stay, whenever you can… I want you to know that, little one… I know you can't always stay, but I want to have you around whenever possible. I want to have memories with you… many, many memories, sweet girl," she told her, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

Norie wrapped Scarlett into a hug. "I want that too… I love you, Sissy."

Spencer felt Scarlett sigh as she held the young girl. She leaned over, pressing her cheek into her hair.

"I love you too, Norie. So very, very much, baby girl…" she said softly, rocking the girl gently against her.

Spencer pulled the both of them into his arms, hugging them together tightly. Norie giggled as she was pressed into Scarlett in his bear hug.

"I think someone's feeling left out," Scarlett chuckled as she was tucked in closely between Spencer's chest and Norie's face. She saw the little girl smiling brightly, looking up at her as they were held together in the circle of his arms.

Mischief lit in Scarlett's eyes. She wrinkled up her nose at Noreen.

"Did I ever tell you Spencer is ticklish?" she said impishly. Spencer's arms immediately released them.

"No!" he said, backing up from them. Two sets of devilish green eyes peered up at him.

"How ticklish?" Norie teased, watching Spencer. She made a twitching motion with her fingers.

"Oh, _very_ ticklish…" Scarlett teased, moving closer to his side.

Spencer shook his head. "Not on a moving ride…" he warned them.

"We are at the end of the line, farm boy…" Scarlett grinned as the carriage pulled up to the curb. She pulled her glove off, reaching for under his coat.

Spencer squeaked as she touched his skin with her cold hands and Norie leaned over him, tickling his ribs…

"Ah… stop…" he laughed. They both backed away from him, jumping down off the ride. He took a moment to straighten himself before following them to the street.

"Paybacks…" Spencer called out as he scooped up Norie off her feet, swinging her around. He tickled her ribs until she squealed, rolling into a ball at his feet.

"Okay! Okay! We are even," she laughed, taking his hand and pulling herself upright.

"And now just one more target," Spencer grinned, watching Scarlett back away. "You in?" he asked Norie with an evil grin.

"Let's get her!" Norie laughed, running up the street as Scarlett jogged away.

Spencer noted Scarlett didn't really run as Norie caught up to her easily. He picked up his pace following them towards the Smithsonian, the next stop on their itinerary.

Norie jumped up onto Scarlett's back, wrapping her arms around her shoulders. Scarlett held her up, bouncing slightly as the girl giggled.

"I caught you!" Norie laughed, tucking her face against Scarlett's neck.

"You sure did," Scarlett swung around in a circle, keeping her secured to her back.

"And I got you both!" Spencer said as he lifted Scarlett up, tossing her onto his shoulder. He snagged Norie with his other arm, shifting her to his other shoulder. He bounced them once, balancing them carefully so they wouldn't fall and crossing his long arms over their legs to hold them in place.

Scarlett hung upside down, seeing Norie in the same position as Spencer continued to walk down the street, as if it were perfectly normal to have two females hanging off his shoulders. Norie was laughing so hard she started hiccupping.

Scarlett felt Spencer's hand smack her on the ass lightly. "Hey! None of that," she laughed and he jostled her against his shoulder.

Spencer swung them around in a circle once more before setting them down to their feet in front of the museum. Scarlett smacked him back quickly as he set her down.

"None of that," he repeated, leaning in to give her a kiss. Scarlett stepped closer leaning against his chest.

"I love you, Spence…" Scarlett told him, wrapping her arms around his waist, hugging him close.

Spencer grinned, leaning over to press his cheek against her hair.

"Good, because I'm quite fond of you myself, Katy Scarlett," he teased in a weak imitation of a slow drawl, pressing his lips to her forehead.

"Is that so?" she asked, playing coy.

"It's true… you've stolen my heart," he mimicked an arrow to his heart as they moved towards the entrance. He backed up to the stairs, laying down across them as if shot dead.

"I'll save you!" Norie laughed, jumping over the stairs and straddling his chest. Scarlett heard him 'oooff' as the air let out of his lungs.

"Oh, for the love…" she laughed as Norie started tickling him again as she had him trapped under her.

Spencer wriggled away from the tormenting fingers. "A little help here, Scarlett!" he called out, his voice breaking under the laughter.

Norie slid to his side, giggling. "_Now_ we are even," she told him, leaning over to ruffle his hair.

Spencer sat up straighter, pulling her under his arm. He kissed her forehead lightly. "Even…" he said, laughter still bubbling in his voice.

"Hold still," Scarlett called over to them, aiming her camera at them. They smiled at her, and Scarlett took the picture, storing it into her phone and her mind.

"Come on, kiddos… the museum awaits," she told them, taking the stairs two at a time.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Scarlett held Spencer's hand as the followed Norie through the different exhibits. The girl danced along in front of them, stopping when something caught her interest, studying it for a moment before moving on to the next.

Norie soaked it all in like a sponge.

"Did you know that these dresses were actually worn by the first ladies?" Noreen told them as she bounced back towards them through the displays. "Some of this stuff is ancient…" she declared, tugging Scarlett's hand to show her through the dresses.

"Can you imagine having to get dressed in the morning and have to put on all the layers of clothes? Bustles and petticoats, stockings and corsets? Every single day?" Scarlett said in a loud whisper.

"No, not me…" Norie giggled. "I would have been running around in just the bloomers…" she laughed.

Scarlett let the little girl take her hand, walking together through the other sights. Spencer followed them, watching their interaction, enjoying their fun.

They stopped at different spots between them, randomly studying some of the exhibits until the museum announced it was closing.

Norie took one more picture of the display before her as they headed out of the museum.

"There was so much to see," she exclaimed, scanning through the pictures on her phone. "I don't think I got everything," she shook her head in disappointment.

"We'll come back another time…" Spencer promised her. "And they change some of the exhibits at different times, so there is always something new to see…"

They walked to the car, listening to Norie's excited chatter the entire way. Spencer looked back in the rearview mirror as they headed home, seeing the little girl's head droop slightly as she fell asleep.

"I think she's worn out," Spencer mentioned to Scarlett, nodding towards the back seat.

Scarlett looked back, shaking her head. "I think you are right…" she responded, yawning.

"She's not the only one…" he laughed.

"No… I'm exhausted," Scarlett admitted. "It's been a lot to take in…" she told him, scooting over as much as the seatbelt would allow and laying her head against his shoulder. "And I didn't get much sleep last night," she reminded him.

Spencer kissed her forehead. "All part of my evil plan…" he teased. "I'm glad you both had fun…"

"Did you?" she asked sleepily, her eyes drifting closed.

Spencer sighed, looking down at her. "More than you can imagine," he told her softly.

Scarlett woke when she heard the car door open.

"Come on sleepy head," she heard Spencer's voice at her ear as he pulled her from the car.

"Norie," she mumbled, pressing her cheek against his shoulder.

"Is already in bed," he told her, kissing her forehead as he carried her up to the apartment. "Now it's your turn…"

Scarlett held on to his neck, listening as the door opened and closed. "You don't have to carry me inside…" she protested.

Spencer chuckled lightly as he lay her down on their bed.

"You are already inside, crazy girl…" he told her. "Go back to sleep," he grinned, kissing her softly.

"Mmm-hmm…" she mumbled, turning her face in to her pillow. She heard him moving around the room.

Spencer tugged her boots off, pulling her arms from her coat and removing the rest of her clothes, stripping her to her underwear, while she continued to sleep heavily. He undressed also, and stretched out alongside her, watching her.

Scarlett turned, moving closer to him. He settled against her, tracing his fingers along her skin, memorizing every detail of her face. He touched some of the freckles along her cheeks and studied the wrinkles on the bridge of her nose.

"Is this still part of your evil plan?" she mumbled, opening one eye to look over at him.

Spencer chuckled. "Yep. Go back to sleep…" he teased.

"Are you going to stare at me all night?" she asked with a yawn. She stretched like a cat beside him, linking her legs through his.

"Absolutely," he told her, kissing the furrow on her brow.

Scarlett slipped back into a dreamless sleep, her mind drifting. He watched her eyes track under her lids, as he studied her closer.

Spencer rose up on his elbow so he could see her better. He touched her hair, spreading it out along the pillow behind her like a fan. When his arm brushed against her breasts accidentally, she sucked in a surprised breath and arched towards his touch.

He stopped moving, looking down at her face again. She still slept, her body reacting involuntarily. He gave a self-satisfied smile.

Holding himself up on his arms, he leaned over her, careful not to touch her. He brushed his lips lightly over hers, not quite touching them. When Scarlett moaned, his body reacted and he stole the sound from her mouth.

Spencer pulled away, heat building in the air between them. He watched the perspiration bead up on her flesh, his breath raising goose bumps on her skin. She arched up, trying to reach his heat, but he pulled back, avoiding contact.

He pursed his lips, blowing lightly across breasts, grinning slightly as her nipples puckered under his breath. She whimpered, twisting under him.

Scarlett felt like her senses were being overwhelmed. She tried to clear her foggy brain, reaching for Spencer, feeling her blood start to simmer. When she didn't find him at her side, she opened her eyes, meeting his hazel ones directly.

Spencer saw the confusion move across her face for a split second before her eyes met his and wrinkled at the corners in a sleepy smile.

"What are you doing?" she asked quietly, lifting her hand lazily to rub at her eyes.

"Watching you," he whispered. She shivered as his words touched her skin.

"Still?" she questioned. "Having fun?"

"Yes," he told her. "And yes… so shush," he grinned, blowing across her skin, trailing his breath from the hollow of her throat, down to the valley between her breasts. He heard her drag in a sharp breath and she reached for him. He pulled away from her hands.

"Stay still," he whispered, his words moving across her stomach making her muscles contract. Scarlett shivered slightly, moving her hands to her sides, gripping the sheets. She pressed her lips together tightly, biting back the whimper in her throat.

Spencer watched as her skin twitched under his breath, hearing the small mewling sound rise in her chest. His own blood burned, his body aching to give in and touch her, but he held back.

Instead, he spoke softly, brushing words across her skin erotically.

"_And so that night, they danced on Air, as he dreamt about his maiden fair. _

_The sun, so jealous, cast its Light, chasing her image back from his sight. _

_So know my Lover, when darkness falls, it is my Soul to which yours calls. _

_When again we will dance, to spite the sun… you and I, our souls, will be as One…"_

Scarlett felt every word touch her skin, igniting a fire that she struggled to contain.

"Spencer…" she panted his name as he moved back up to look down into her face. She saw his eyes burning with his own need, and it took her breath away. She grabbed at the words he'd spoken, trying to use them as an anchor to concentrate on, instead of the need boiling inside.

He watched her fighting for control, and it made him smile.

Scarlett cleared her throat. "I don't remember ever hearing that poem," she said, trying to keep her voice even.

Spencer shook his head. "You couldn't have. I just made it up now, while I was watching you," he told her.

Scarlett heard the words repeat once again in her mind, his voice filling her head, his breath moving across her skin… she drew in a ragged breath as her body took over, and a climax ripped through her.

Spencer saw the change in her eyes, watched the blush warm her skin as she cried out under the intensity of the orgasm. He covered her mouth with his, muffling the sound, his own body screaming for release.

Scarlett felt his lips move over hers, tasting her, as the heat ran through her. She gasped for a breath, wrapping her arms around his neck and threading her fingers through his hair. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, nudging her back a little so he could look into her eyes.

The red that stained her chest and neck had started to fade, and her green eyes were now heavy lidded and sated. He pressed another kiss to her cheek, feeling the flush of heat still there, her skin slightly damp from the exertion.

She closed her eyes, breathing deeply, meeting his lips gently now, as he lowered his body against hers finally. Scarlett felt his heat scorch her skin.

"You…" she breathed the word out heavily. "Only you could shatter me with words…" she told him, her eyes locked to his. "You are my soul mate, Spence…" she whispered, brushing her lips along his as she spoke.

Spencer couldn't stop the growl that rumbled deep in his chest. Her words, the feel of her body, now so soft and pliant under his, was too much to deny. He shifted, entering her, his heart stuttering against his ribs as his body reacted almost immediately. He tried to fight against it, to hold back…

"Don't," she whispered. "Just, _feel_…" she told him, as she gently brushed her lips against the sensitive spot behind his ear.

He didn't move; he just took in everything around him, using all his senses to feel the moment. The growl turned into a moan as he felt the heat build, burning through him as he felt her surrounding him.

Scarlett ran her fingers across his back as his muscles twitched. She didn't move either; only turning her head slightly to meet his eyes. The heat that consumed him burned there, making his eyes look brighter. She locked her gaze with his.

"Come for me, farm boy…" she whispered heavily, her voice throaty with need.

Spencer felt her words, the sound of her voice, rip through him. He bowed back, burning, burying himself deeper into her warmth as he found his release. He bit his lips together as he cried out, trying not to make noise, creating a strangled sound in his throat. He dropped back down on top of her as his body gave out, unable to move. Neither of them spoke.

Scarlett closed her eyes, breathing in deeply, taking in his scent, letting it fill her memory. His hair was slightly damp at his temples as she turned her head to press a kiss there. Spencer grunted trying to move his weight off of her.

"No," she whispered. "Stay…"

Scarlett ran her hands down his hair and across his shoulders, stroking his skin gently. He settled against her, his ear pressed over her heart. He heard her voice vibrate under his cheek.

"I love you, Spence…"

He locked the sound of her voice into his memory. When she pressed her lips against his hair, he felt her breath on his skin and he sighed.

He moved up just a bit to nuzzle his face into the crook of her neck. He kissed her throat lightly.

"As I love you…" he responded, cuddling into her.

Scarlett brushed her fingers through his hair, kissing his forehead. She felt his weight shift against her as he drifted off. She held him close as she fell asleep herself.


	11. Chapter 11

I hope everyone who is reading is enjoying this little look into Spencer and Scarlett's personal life. There is a little surprise in store that will link into the upcoming "Loving Scarlett" so I hope you'll keep reading!

Thanks again for everyone's kind reviews. Please keep posting!

I am not very savvy with the fanfiction web sites- so if any of the readers can offer suggestions on how to spread my stories out to reach more readers, or get more reviews, please let me know! It really means so much to me to hear that people are liking my stories, so the more readers that see them, the happier I am!

Thanks!  
>~Becky<p>

* * *

><p>Chapter 11<p>

Scarlett woke before the sun, tiptoeing through the bedroom so as not to wake Spencer. She slipped into a pair of leggings and t-shirt as she adjusted the curtains to catch the morning light.

Dragging her mat over to where she knew the sun would hit it, she sat in the lotus position, waiting to watch the sunrise.

Scarlett tucked her earbuds into her ears, queueing up her playlist. She was just starting her workout when she felt the vibration through the floorboards of someone walking around the apartment.

Moving quietly, she grabbed her .22 from her nightstand and headed over to the door, opening it slightly to check it out. Scarlett sighed in relief when she saw it was Norie. The little girl was walking through the still dark living room, using her phone as a flashlight, scanning through the books on the shelves.

Norie dropped a book and stifled a scream as Scarlett appeared by her side.

"Son of a b…" the younger girl started to swear as Scarlett reached down to pick up the volume. "Scarlett! You scared the crap out of me!" she told her in a hushed whisper.

"Ditto…" Scarlett told her, handing back the book to her sister. "You shouldn't sneak around in the dark, little one…" she warned her, holding out her hand that still held the weapon.

"Geez," Norie wrinkled her nose at the small gun. "Paranoid much, sissy?" she asked.

"Yes, unfortunately," Scarlett answered, tucking the gun into her waistband. "I protect what's mine," she told her honestly.

"I hate guns," Norie looked at her sister. "I can't imagine even holding one…" she shivered slightly. "I'd probably shoot myself…"

Scarlett watched her sister a moment. "Everyone should know how to handle a weapon, even if it's only for protection. But if you don't know how to use one, you shouldn't ever touch it."

"Is that loaded?" Norie asked, glancing at the slight bulge in Scarlett's pants.

"Yes, every weapon is loaded in this house," she told her. "And even if you think it isn't, you should always treat a gun as if it is…"

Norie shook her head. "You don't need to worry about me ever touching one. Ugh…" she made a face. "Can you please put that away? I keep imagining it going off and shooting your foot…" she turned her concerned eyes on Scarlett.

Scarlett grinned. "You are as bad as Spencer," she teased. "He hates when I don't have it in a proper holster…" she said, taking the gun from her waistband and taking it back into the bedroom to its place.

When she reentered the living room, Norie was sitting on the couch, reading the book she'd chosen. Scarlett turned on the lamp on the side table for her.

"You are going to hurt your eyes…" she warned the girl.

Norie shrugged. "The sun is coming up, it'll be brighter in here soon," she said, not even glancing up from the pages.

"So why are you up before the sun, little one?" Scarlett asked, moving into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee.

"I don't know," Norie shrugged again. "I just couldn't sleep anymore. I feel all jittery inside… like I need to do something…"

Scarlett nodded, knowing the feeling well.

"Well, I was getting ready to do my morning salutations, if you'd want to try some yoga with me," she mentioned.

Norie looked up at that. "You'd teach me?"

"Sure… why not?" Scarlett responded. "I'll just grab my mat and bring it out here so we don't wake up Spencer."

In a few minutes, she had her things resituated into the sun that was streaming in the living room window.

Norie watched Scarlett with intense curiosity. "Is there a reason why you put them in the sun? Why did you just turn it that way? Do you have different exercises if it was night time? Why did you just bow? Do you always have to do that first?"

Scarlett stopped moving, looking over at her sister. The questions were coming rapid-fire from the girl. She wasn't even giving her any time to answer. Scarlett grinned, thinking of how it reminded her of Reid. Norie's brain was running ahead of her mouth…

"Come here, little sister," Scarlett told her, waving a hand in Norie's direction. "I'll show you…"

Norie moved off the couch to stand before Scarlett. Scarlett could feel the tension in the younger girl's body, without even touching her.

"Okay, now… I put the mats in the sun, because I use the sun as a focal point. I like to feel its warmth and light around me. I think of it as 'recharging my batteries'," she explained.

"I turned them because this way gives you room to join me," Scarlett answered Norie's second question, moving the girl forward a little so she was standing in the center of the mat.

"I do perform a lot of different series of movements. There is Vinyasa, Tai Chi, or sometimes Ashtanga, if I want a real physical session. Depending on the time of day, or my mood, I use different styles- or if I have a specific intention, like maybe I feel a headache coming and I want to ward it off- I'll use the yoga and meditation to help fight it," Scarlett told her.

"I bow to show respect to the Creator before I start my meditations. Not everyone does it, it is not necessary; it's just something I do. Sometimes I even add in prayers with my movements, but again, that's just me. The great thing about yoga is you don't have to think. You just feel the movements and breathe…"

Norie listened as Scarlett explained. "You usually listen to music?" she asked another question.

"Yes, I usually do. But again, that's just me. You don't have to- some people prefer silence for their meditation."

Scarlett stretched her arms above her head, leaning backwards. Norie watched a moment and then tried the movement. Scarlett breathed in deeply as she raised her arms again, and released it while she bent back.

"There you go," she told Norie as the girl repeated the movement. "It's very important to control your breathing with yoga. Concentrate on your breath, your heart beat and your body… feel your pulse and center yourself," Scarlett told her, starting her routine.

Norie followed Scarlett as she stretched and bent, even copying a bridge before settling across from her, sitting in the lotus position as she finished.

"That's pretty good for your first time, little one!" Scarlett told her, scooting closer so their elbows were touching. "Do you feel calm enough to meditate now?" she asked.

"I think so?" Norie replied. "You kept that sort of easy for me…" she told her sister. "I've seen you lifting yourself on your hands in some of your sessions," she nudged Scarlett.

Scarlett chuckled. "Yeah, I didn't think you'd want to go that far yet. But you did the bridge, and for a beginner that's awesome," she grinned.

"I want to learn more… I want to do the hand thing," Norie insisted.

Scarlett moved over slightly, lifting herself up on her hands. Holding her weight and finding her balance, she lifted her legs, bending her knees until they were touching her elbows, executing the crow position.

Norie watched the exertion move across Scarlett's face as she worked her body into the form she wanted. Her breathing changed and her concentration had turned towards the task. She stayed there for a moment, holding the position until her body relaxed, accepting it.

"This is the crow," Scarlett breathed out, explaining the position. She stretched her legs out, moving her body down, lifting her head to face Norie.

"This is the firefly," she said as she breathed in, still moving in a fluid motion. She moved her legs back, point them towards the ceiling.

"Peacock…" she breathed out, her arms starting to burn under the exertion. She breathed in deeply, focusing a look on Norie's face.

"Last one," she told her, letting the younger girl see how her arms were starting to shake under the stress.

She moved her legs to the side, arching her back, breathing in deeply.

"Flying crow…" she breathed out. Holding the position for just a moment more, she lowered herself to the mat, closing her eyes.

Norie watched Scarlett relax her body after putting it through those intense movements. As she sat there, she tried to lift herself by her hands, just a bit. She couldn't do it, and scowled.

Scarlett opened her eyes to see Norie trying to lift her hips from the mat. She grinned.

"It took me years to get there, little sister. You aren't going to get it in a day…" she told her. She moved her legs out in front of her, leaning herself back on her arms, lifting her hips from the mat.

"Here," she told Norie. "Start with this… the upward plank. It will help you get to the others, after time."

Norie repeated the movement, looking over at Scarlett upside down. She giggled.

Scarlett walked in that position across the mat, until she was face to face with Norie. Staring into each other's eyes upside down, they started laughing.

Spencer walked into the living room, following the smell of coffee. He stopped for a minute to stare at the two girls, upside down and backwards, laughing like fools, in the middle of the floor. He shook his head and went for the coffee.

Scarlett saw his mismatched socks pass by from the corner of her eye.

"Good morning!" she called out as she upside down crab walked around Norie. Spencer grunted, still not quite awake.

"Coffee…" she heard him mutter, and she made a face at Norie.

Norie giggled, following Scarlett in the circle. She caught her hand on her hair and tripped, falling over on the mat, laughing all the harder.

Scarlett rolled on her shoulder, landing next to Norie. She reached over and kissed the little girls cheek.

"I love you, little one," she told her.

Norie reached over slinging an arm across her shoulder. "I love you too, Sissy…"

Scarlett sat there a moment longer, breathing in the memories. She grinned over at Norie.

"What do you think about pancakes for breakfast?" Scarlett asked. "I got blueberry syrup…" she told her, knowing it was her favorite.

"Yum!" Norie jumped up from the floor, holding a hand out for Scarlett. "Can I help flip them? Can we make shapes? I like flipping them… Do we have bacon? I can't make bacon I burn it… but I like it crispy…" the girl babbled on in a stream of consciousness, looking over at Reid.

"Good morning, Spence!" she called out, seeing he had a mug of coffee in his hand. "You in a better mood yet?" she teased, as she climbed on her knees on the kitchen stool to watch him.

"Getting there," he grinned, reaching over to push her tousled hair from her face. "There you are…" he chuckled.

Scarlett moved through the kitchen gathering the ingredients for the pancakes. Spencer opened the freezer, pulling out a package of bacon.

"I can make crispy bacon," he told Norie with a wink. "That's how I like it too."

"Cool," Norie watched them as they moved past each other in the kitchen. She saw Scarlett nudge Spencer with her hip as he stood beside her at the stove. Spencer gave Scarlett a lop-sided grin as he leaned over and kissed her quickly.

"Yuck!" Norie teased, scooting into the kitchen between them. "I get to flip!" she insisted, moving Scarlett away from the stove.

Scarlett laughed, handing over the spatula. Norie poured some of the batter onto the skillet, dripping some on the floor.

"Shoot!" she muttered, avoiding stepping on the mess. "We need a dog," she told them.

Scarlett saw something light in Norie's eyes as Spencer grabbed some paper towels to wipe up the mess,

"We need a dog," Norie repeated. "A dog would be great! I'd love to have a puppy…" she thought a moment, cocking her head. "You guys can't have a dog… you are gone away too much. Maybe I can ask Mama if I can have a puppy, then we can visit. But you can have a cat… cats are okay when you leave them… a mama cat and her kitten… so we can save a family, they can stay together… we can find them at a shelter, I'm sure…" she babbled as she flipped the pancakes. Norie poured more batter into the shape of a cat's head.

"I'd love to have a kitty to cuddle while I'm here… is there a shelter open? They could be my Christmas present…" she continued.

"Oh!" Norie shook her head, looking over at them. "I forgot to even ask… can we get a kitten?" she asked.

Spencer bit the inside of his cheek at her exuberance to keep from grinning. "I'm allergic to cats," he told her, holding a straight face.

Scarlett scanned her memory and looked at Spencer quizzically. He never mentioned that he was allergic to cats. She saw him wink from over Norie's shoulder.

"Oh, bummer…" the girl sighed, finishing off the pancakes. Scarlett grinned at Spencer behind her back.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Spencer looked over to the passenger seat, watching Scarlett play with the kitten. Mama cat slept contentedly on her lap while the fluffy ball of fur kept climbing into Scarlett's hair.

"We can stop at the pet store that's over off of Wisconsin Ave," she told him, pulling the kitten off her shoulder and nuzzling him. "I know it's a chain store, but odds are they are open Christmas Eve… and we've got to get Gus-Gus some food, yes we do…" she started baby talking to the kitten as it licked her nose and started to try nibbling on it.

"Gus-Gus?" Spencer laughed as she cooed at the kitten. "Where did you come up with that?" he asked.

Scarlett held the little grey fuzzball in both her hands up to her face. "From Cinderella? The chubby mouse?" she reminded him.

Spencer thought about that a moment, shaking his head. "I don't remember a mouse in Cinderella…" he frowned.

"Not the fairy tale, farm boy… the Disney cartoon. Tell me you've never seen the cartoon," she stated and saw him shake his head. "Alright then, I'll make a note to have a Disney marathon with you one day…" she giggled as the kitten patted her nose with his paws.

"Don't cats chase mice?" he asked, his brows furrowing. "Do you really want to name a cat after a mouse?" he teased.

Scarlett giggled as the kitten nipped her nose. "Oh, geez…" she rolled her eyes. "I didn't think about that… Fine then, he's Walter…" she told him.

Spencer laughed. "Walter? Why Walter?" he asked as he pulled into the pet store parking lot. He put the car in park and looked over at Scarlett.

She pulled the kitten out of her hair again. "He looks like a 'Walter'," she shrugged, looking into the kitten's face.

"He likes being up on your shoulder…" Spencer observed, as Walter sunk his baby claws into her shirt, trying to get back in her neck and hair.

Scarlett let out an exaggerated sigh as she unhooked him again. She set the baby down in the box of blankets at her feet. The mother cat moved off Scarlett's lap to lie down in the box next to the kitten.

"Good momma," Scarlett praised as she rubbed the larger cat's head. "She's such a precious girl…" she crooned.

Spencer shook his head as he watched her interact with the cats. "If I had known you loved cats so much, I would've suggested we get one before now…" he mentioned.

"I never really thought about it… I never had a pet," she admitted, still petting the mother cat's head.

"Never? Not even a goldfish?" he asked, interested in her past. He slid out of the driver's seat and moved around to open her door.

"No…" she stated as he took her hand, helping her out of the car.

"John had a python that I used to pet and carry around…" she told him as they entered the store. "And he had horses… but neither of those are really 'pets' that you cuddle up on the couch with," she mused. "Well, sometimes I did with Voodoo, but he was exceptional for a snake…"

Spencer watched her wide eyed. "You could cuddle a snake?" he squeaked.

Scarlett laughed at his stricken look. "Spence, he was a pet… John raised him from a hatchling. I didn't pick up a wild snake and wrap it around my neck," she teased.

"Still…" he said with a grimace.

"Awe, Voodoo was a sweetheart. He would keep his head next to my ear and whisper to me," she grinned at the memory. "He was beautiful…"

Spencer shivered and gave her a smile. "I'll take your word for it, and stick to cats and dogs, myself," he teased as he took a cart.

They headed over to the cat aisle, hand in hand. Spencer pulled a cat box off one of the top shelves while Scarlett grabbed a bag of food tossing it in the buggy.

"I sort of had a dog, once," Scarlett commented, placing a bag of litter into the growing pile of necessities.

Spencer smiled over at her. "How do you 'sort of' have a dog?" he asked.

"Mmm, well, it was a little mutt from the streets. I fed him and played with him every day. But when it started getting cold at night, I felt sorry for him, so I brought it home. I thought, maybe, if I was quiet, I could keep it hidden in my bedroom," she gave a soft smile, remembering the little dog.

"I was eight- well, almost eight, my birthday was coming up… so I gave myself a birthday present…" she shook her head sadly.

Spencer watched her eyes closely. "What happened?" he asked quietly, realizing at that age, she would have still been under Rowan's care.

"I couldn't have a pet…" she shrugged. "I, uh… so I cleaned him up really good and found him a home with the family up the street," she smiled. "He ended up having a good family," she told him.

Scarlett rubbed her hands on her jeans nervously, fidgeting. Spencer noticed and took her hands. Standing before her, he kept his gaze locked on hers.

"What happened?" he asked her again, bringing her hands to his lips. He didn't want to push her, but bits and pieces of her life only came about in moments like these. So he watched her eyes, making sure she wasn't going into a flashback, and asked the question.

He could see she was uncomfortable, but her eyes stayed clear and fixed on his. She sighed heavily.

"I kept the pup in my room for two days without Rowan knowing," she told him. "The third day, he found me sneaking it food. He threatened to kill it, right then, in front of me for bringing it inside his house," she pushed the story out, holding on to Reid's hands tightly.

"I let the little guy go, knowing I'd find him later, letting him escape…" she shrugged. "Then, that's what I did… I found him, and got him to that family. I told them we weren't able to keep him anymore."

Spencer felt her pull her hands from his. She moved them to her neck, rubbing at it. Her eyes started to change, looking away from him.

"Scarlett," he called her attention back to him. She shook her head, clearing the images and focusing back on him. She took a deep steadying breath.

"He, um… he wrapped a belt around my neck, choking me… as a punishment," she told Spencer in a quiet voice, following through with the rest of the story.

"I'm not sorry I did it, though. He was a sweet pup," she stated, as if defending herself.

Spencer took her hands again, pulling them away from where she was still nervously rubbing at her neck, as if trying to remove the belt.

"Scarlett," he said her name softly, pulling her closer, keeping his voice equally low.

"You were eight. You wanted a puppy. You did nothing wrong and never deserved to be treated that way…" he told her firmly. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, hiding his face from her, his brow furrowing in anger and pain when he imagined what she'd gone through.

"What was the pup's name?" he asked her, knowing she'd remember, as he moved so his chin rested against her head. Scarlett swiped at the tears in her eyes and gave a slight chuckle, knowing he was redirecting her thoughts away from the bad images.

"Spot…" she gave him a half-hearted giggle, poking him when she heard his laugh. "I didn't have much of an imagination…"

Spencer held her another moment, as she collected herself. "Hey, 'Walter' is very imaginative," he reminded her, pressing a kiss to her hair.

She laughed. "I've gotten better as I've gotten older," she told him, giving him a tight hug.

"Mmm-hmm," he responded, moving his hands up to frame her face, pulling her eyes to meet his, dropping a kiss to her lips. When she looked at him, her still damp eyes full of love and trust; his heart skipped a beat in his chest.

"I don't even know when your birthday is…" Spencer confessed, her story reminding him to the fact.

Scarlett sighed. "I don't celebrate my birthday, Spence. Bad things always seem to manage to happen on my birthday," she scowled.

They kept talking as they walked through the store.

"How so?" he asked her. "And I'd still like to know it…"

Scarlett moved to stand on the back of the cart as he pushed it up the next aisle. She took some toys from the shelf, tossing them in the basket.

"It's October 13th…" she scowled. "My birthday is a jinx. I refused to celebrate it, that's why you hadn't heard it mentioned. Derek and Pens know better…"

"Scarlett," Spencer started with his 'you can't really believe that' tone and she threw him a dark look.

"Seriously, Reid… I do not consider that my birthday," she huffed; looking around to make certain nobody was within earshot.

"That day Morgan came and took me to the ER… the one you've seen the police reports of?" she saw him cringe inwardly and nodded. "Exactly… Spencer, that was my thirteen birthday. The ones before were variations of that… So please, please understand when I tell you I am very serious about not celebrating it… Bad things happen on my birthday…" she bit her lips together.

Spencer thought back a couple months, trying to remember where they were or what they'd done on her birthday past, to try to show her it couldn't be all bad…

Scarlett watched his face, seeing clearly that he was trying to pull up an argument against what she was telling him. She tilted her head.

"So I just ignore it…" he asked, still trying to remember seeing the date in his mind. Nothing was coming to him.

"Yes…" she told him, hopping off the back of the cart and stepping up to him. She reached up to touch the lines on his forehead. "You're going to give yourself an aneurysm," she teased. Spencer watched her.

"You know…" he crossed his arms. "Why can't I remember anything from October 13th ?" he asked.

Scarlett rested her head against his chest for a second, listening to his heart.

"You were in surgery that day, boy… The doctors had some follow up to work on, with your injuries from Alaska… remember now?" she asked, running her hand over his torso where she knew some of the scars still rode on his skin.

"Oh…" he stayed quiet for a moment, watching the top of her head as she traced the scars that lay under his clothes.

"Sorry," he told her. Scarlett picked her head up at that and met his eyes. She tried not to giggle.

"Spence… you can't be 'sorry', you didn't do anything," she teased, shaking her head. "It's not as if you decided to go out and get stabbed," she rolled her eyes.

"If I'd known it was your birthday, I'd have had them schedule the surgery for a different day," he told her.

Scarlett nodded. "Precisely why I never mentioned it," she told him.

"Anyway," she pulled away from him a little, starting to push the cart towards the cashiers. "I don't celebrate that date. After the hospital, when Ian went into hiding, I got to stay with Frannie. I moved in with them for Halloween, so if we celebrate anything, I do it then… Mama calls it my 'gotme' day," she chuckled.

Tilting her head back, she looked up at Spencer. "Can you understand?" she asked him.

Spencer nodded, kissing her forehead. "I understand," he told her. He grinned slightly. "You're 'gotme' day wasn't bad this year then," he said thinking back. "You went to a party at least," he said, meaning Rossi's Halloween party.

They paid the bill, leaving the store and began packing their purchases into the trunk.

"Umm-hmm," Scarlett agreed, reaching over as she dropped a bag in, touching his face. "As I recall, I also proposed and you said yes…" she grinned.

Spencer took her hand. "And you are wearing my ring," he said, kissing her fingers. She turned her hand, running her thumb lightly across his lips.

"So… you are trying new ways to figure out how to work around my mental malfunctions…" she mentioned casually, switching the conversation completely once they were alone in the car. Scarlett peeked into the box where the cats slept, checking on them.

Spencer saw her grin and shrugged. "I hadn't realized I was being quite so obvious," he told her, knowing there was no sense in denying it. "I hope you aren't mad… I just, I want to hear more about you. I like hearing about your past…"

"But it's a minefield, and so you decided to learn how to avoid or defuse the bombs as we navigate through them," she stated.

Spencer cocked his head at her. "That's one way to put it, I guess. I was thinking more of like a chess game…"

Scarlett laughed. "A chess game isn't going to blow up in your face, as I'm likely to do…"

"You're not, you are getting better at saying what you are thinking, instead of 'blowing up'," he told her.

"You direct me to think of other things…" she told him, letting him see what she'd noticed.

Spencer blushed slightly, hoping she wasn't getting angry, knowing how she felt about being treated like a study…

Scarlett saw his discomfort, letting him squirm for a moment before she leaned over the car seat and kissed his cheek.

"I'm grateful," she told him quietly.

The words were not what he expected. Spencer looked down at her quizzically.

"For what?" he asked her.

Scarlett took his hand, tracing her finger along his palm. She watched the lines that crossed his hand, instead of his eyes. She could feel her embarrassment burn on her cheeks.

"For so many things, Spencer… First, I'm grateful for the fact that you've hung on with me, instead of running away from my insanity. You've looked at me as puzzle, something worth putting together to see the big picture. Secondly, for not throwing in the towel and saying, 'this isn't worth the aggravation', when I've closed up and closed you off… you just held me and waited patiently," she told him, meeting his eyes briefly.

"You are still waiting, still being patient with me," she told him, shaking her head slightly as she looked away again.

"Then for caring enough to try to work around those mines… to help me try to navigate through them also… and for holding me, keeping me safe when I do trip one off… You give me hope, that maybe I can learn… Maybe finally be normal…"

"Scarlett," he took her chin, pulling her face up to meet his eyes. "You aren't abnormal," he told her. "You are special. You see things so differently… hell, you see _me_ differently… and that amazes me. You amaze me. I want to learn everything, how your mind works, why you think the way you do, how you see things like you do… I can't help it. You are just that unique and precious to me…" he told her.

"You aren't a 'smear on a slide'," he stated, using her words from the other night. "But I do watch you. I can't apologize for that. Because, I don't watch you because you are 'abnormal' or because of your 'mental malfunctions'," he said as he leaned forward, catching her lips with his. He lightly nipped them, teasing, tasting until she yielded under his kiss, pulling him deeper.

Spencer broke away, looking into her eyes. "I watch you because I love you, Katy Scarlett. You are everything to me and I want to know every facet of you," he told her. "If that means we have to navigate through some mines," he shrugged, taking her hand again, "well, then, so be it. I'm willing to dance through them, as long as you are with me…" he said, kissing her fingers again. "For all time…"

Scarlett touched his lips, moving up on her knees in the middle of the seat to straddle his hips. She saw his eyes widen, looking around the parking lot. She giggled.

"Don't worry farm boy, I'm not trying for an indecent exposure citation," she teased, settling on his lap. He relaxed a little, pushing her hair behind her ear.

She framed his face, making him look up at only her. "I love you, Spencer…" she skimmed the words over his lips. "You keep me whole…"


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Scarlett spoke on the phone as she settled the cats into their new home in the apartment.

"Yes, Penny… We got everything…" she was talking to Garcia as she watched Spencer fill some bowls with food, setting them onto a mat in the kitchen. "Thanks for taking Norie out shopping so we could pull this off," she said.

"I think I'm more excited about seeing her face when she gets home," Penelope giggled. "Here she comes now… and Derek is getting the car, so we should be back soon," she told Scarlett.

"Alright," Scarlett beamed. "We are all ready for her on this end," she laughed as Walter jumped out of the box to check out the food dish. "We'll see you soon…" she said.

"In a flash…" Penny answered. "TTFN," she sang out as she disconnected the call.

Scarlett slid her phone in her pocket, moving over to pick the momma cat up out of the travel box. The cat blinked up at her as if bored. When Scarlett set her over by the food dishes, she sniffed the food, licked Walter's head, and then moved over to wrap around Reid's ankles. She stretched up, reaching his thighs as he scratched her head.

"I think you made a friend," Scarlett laughed, watching the black cat rub her face against him.

"She knows she's a beauty," he commented, kneeling down to reach her better. "She's a queen and we are just here to serve…" he laughed as the cat rubbed against his legs again and walked away.

Scarlett smiled, watching the cat sniff around the apartment. "Very true," she agreed.

Walter skidded through the kitchen to follow his mother. When she jumped up onto the couch, he did the same, curling up next to her.

"It looks like we've got a family," she laughed.

Spencer wrapped his arms around Scarlett, hugging her close.

"We are a family," he told her. "You, me, Norie…" he stopped, something catching a hold in his mind.

"And now two kitties," Scarlett teased, looking up at him and seeing something working behind his eyes.

"Spence?" she reached up, touching his cheek. "What are you thinking, boy?" she asked.

"I was just… thinking," he shook his head, ideas running rampant in his mind as he tried to figure out how to act on those ideas.

"It wouldn't work unless… but it could… I know you don't like planning things out… and what if it's not what you want?" he muttered, shaking his head again, not looking at her.

"What if it's not want Norie wants?" he asked himself, rambling.

Scarlett let him go a minute more, listening to how the words tripped from his lips, unable to keep up with his mind. She smiled softly, thinking of Norie's own way of working things out, quite like his…

She reached over and touched his arm, bringing him out of his thoughts. He looked down at her.

"I haven't quite figured out how to read your mind yet, darling," she told him, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze. "You are going to have to tell me what you are thinking…"

Spencer pressed his lips together tightly, stopping the stream of words that kept running from his mouth. He took in a deep breath through his nose, letting it out slowly.

"Thank God you haven't," he smiled down at her. Scarlett grinned.

He took her by the shoulders, steering her over to the living room chair, making her sit. He knelt down before her, looking up at her. Scarlett settled back, watching his concentration.

"Scarlett…" he closed his eyes briefly, thinking about what he wanted to say.

"I think of us as a family, already… the three of us," he told her, seeing the soft look in her eyes.

Scarlett felt her heart catch as he included Norie in that unit.

"So, I was just thinking- and it would take some doing, legally… and Norie would have to agree to it, also… along with you…" he took a steadying breath as he watched her face.

"I want to marry you, Scarlett- have you carry my name… and I want us to adopt Noreen so she would carry it also…" he told her, his breath catching in his throat. He held it, waiting for her response.

Scarlett's eyes widened. Of all the things he could have been thinking, this was not what she'd anticipated hearing him say. It caught her off-guard and tears welled up in her eyes.

"Spence…" she breathed out his name, shaking her head to try to still the emotions that seized her. When words couldn't come, she just leaned forward, catching his lips in a kiss.

Spencer held her, feeling the ache in his chest ease under her lips. He breathed in, pulling her closer, taking the kiss deeper as she curled up in his lap as they sat on the floor.

"You just… you…" she shook her head, still unable to think as tears started tracking down her cheeks.

He reached over, wiping at them with his thumb, pulling her closer to kiss them from her face.

"Is that a 'yes'?" he asked quietly, rocking her against his chest. Scarlett felt a laugh bubble in her throat and let it out, smiling.

"That is most certainly a 'yes'," she told him, her heart beating madly in her chest. "I want this more than anything, Spencer Reid. I want your name; I want to be your family… Norie, too… I want it all!" she held him tightly, trying to transfer all she was feeling into his through her touch.

Spencer held her back just as tightly. "We'll need to get a lawyer… I'm sure the law will probably say we would have to be married first…" he breathed out, his heart hammering in his chest. He kissed her hair, breathing in her scent, trying to still his emotions.

"Then we'll do that," she told him. "I already have a lawyer… the one in Chicago who is handling the paperwork for Norie, remember?" she snuggled into him as she spoke.

"As long as Norie agrees, sweet boy- we can talk to him about amending the papers to include the adoption and name change… then we only would have to get the marriage license and have it signed," she told him.

"Would you want to do that, Scarlett? Get married that way?" he asked.

"I'd marry you anyway possible, Spencer Reid. If we sign the papers, start the adoption process, we can have a wedding-type deal with our family, too, sometime after, just to include them…" she mentioned, looking up at him.

"Maybe, we can do that in Vegas… have everyone there, so we could include your mother?" she asked. "Would you want that?"

He nodded, pressing his lips together. She saw the emotion in his eyes.

"Then that's what we'll do," Scarlett decided, kissing him again. "We'll ask Norie tonight…"

Spencer hugged her against his heart. "Tonight…" he agreed, pulling back to look in her eyes.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Noreen came through the apartment doors in a whirl, carrying bags with her, chattering to Derek as he followed in, carrying more…

He spotted Reid in the kitchen, dropped the bags and headed towards the fridge.

"Please tell me you have beer…" he said, grabbing a bottle from the shelf and twisting off the top. He took a long swallow.

"Don't ever send me out alone with those two again…" he teased, seeing Penelope drop yet more bags into the living room.

"Oh hush, you," she called out to him. "You had as much fun as we did," she told him, shooting him a grin.

Morgan smiled back. "You'll never hear me admit it…" he said turning back to Spencer with a wink.

"Where is Sissy?" Norie asked, looking up from her packages. "I got something for her, but she can't see it yet…" she said, tucking a bag under her arm and heading to her bedroom. "It'd spoil the surprise…" she was saying as she opened her door and let out a squeal.

Spencer squinted at the sound, laughing. He headed over to Norie's room, with Penelope and Morgan following him.

Scarlett sat in the middle of Norie's bed, petting the black mother cat. Walter was jumping around her, chasing a feather that she was dangling.

Norie was bouncing around the bed excitedly, squealing again when the kitten ran over to her when she sat on the bed. The little ball of fur latched onto Norie's hair, batting at it.

"You got kitties!" Norie squeaked, petting the kitten with glee. "Just like I asked for…" she reached over, hugging Scarlett tightly.

"You said you were allergic," she turned to Reid, wrinkling her nose at him. "Liar!" she giggled, scooping up Walter and running over to give Spencer a hug.

"I love them!" she jumped up and down. "I love you guys…" she hugged Spencer again, going back to the bed. She looked at Scarlett.

"What are their names?" she asked.

Scarlett scratched the kitten's head. "Well, I've been calling this little guy 'Walter'," she told her sister. "This queen bee doesn't have a name yet," she said, petting the black cat on her lap.

"So, how about you decide what to name them?" she asked Norie.

Norie set the kitten down, studying him. "Walter is a fine name…" she said. "He looks like a 'Walter'…" she nodded, turning to look at the mother.

Scarlett laughed as she handed the cat over to Norie. "That's what I said…"

The female cat blinked up at the girl, rubbing her face against her cheek before turning in a circle to settle on the new lap.

Norie smiled at Scarlett. "She likes me," she giggled, petting the black fur. "I think she should be Cleo… like Cleopatra, since she's a queen bee…" she stated, settling the matter of the cat's name.

"Cleo…" Spencer agreed. "It fits her," he grinned, taking Scarlett's hand as she moved from the bed. She tucked herself under his arm, looking up at him and then back to where the little girl was playing with the two cats.

He kissed her head, leading her back into the living room. "What do you all say to ordering Chinese take out for dinner tonight?" he asked.

"Sounds good to me," Morgan said, carrying his beer into the room and sitting on the couch. He grabbed the remote, turning on the television.

Penelope shook her head, going into the kitchen to grab the menu. "Just make yourself at home, Derek…" she chastised him.

"Don't worry, he will," Scarlett giggled, pouring her and Penny some wine. She raised a glass to Spencer, throwing him a questioning glance.

Spencer shook his head, taking a bottle of green tea from the fridge. He headed back into the living room, stretching out on the chair, kicking off his shoes. He was watching Morgan flip through the channels before settling on a football game.

Scarlett and Penelope found them arguing about the differences of calling football in America 'football' when in Europe 'football' meant soccer…

"I'm just saying, it makes more sense, because in soccer, the players use their feet, where, here…" Spencer waved his hand at the screen, "they don't… at all. It makes no sense…" he told Morgan.

"Baby girl… shut your boy up, please, before I cover his head in a pillow…" Derek looked over at Scarlett as she curled up in the chair next to Spencer. He lifted his arm, pulling Penelope up alongside him on the couch.

"Mmm… I think I can manage that," Scarlett grinned, turning Reid's face towards her, planting a big kiss on his lips.

"I'm not wrong," Spencer spoke against her lips. Scarlett giggled as Morgan flung a pillow at them.

"Everyone, orders up…" Penelope called out, waving the menu around. "Norie! Get in here; I need to know what you want from the restaurant…"

"Where are we ordering from?" Norie asked as she came into the living room, dangling both cats in her grip.

"Oh, dear…" Penny grabbed Walter as he started sliding from the little girl's arms, his paws sticking up in the air. Scarlett jumped up to scoop Cleo into a better position, seeing the poor cat's discomfort.

"Honey, you can't carry them like that," she explained, lifting the bigger cat from her and setting it on the chair next to Spencer.

Norie's face scrunched up. "Why? I wasn't hurting them…"

Spencer tucked Cleo off to his side and took Norie's hand, pulling her next to him.

"You weren't hurting them, but they weren't comfortable hanging like that. It made them frightened, having their legs dangling…" he explained quietly, taking Norie's hand and running it over the cat, gently. "You see, they just want to feel secure, safe… then they'll trust you, and they'll keep coming to you," he looked in the little girl's eyes.

"You want them to keep liking you, right?" he asked. Norie nodded. "Then you let them know they can trust you… you'll keep them safe and warm and loved," he told her, tucking her in under his arm as she continued to pet the cat.

Scarlett had frozen in place, watching the interaction between Spencer and Norie. Penelope noticed and stood up, dragging her friend into the kitchen.

"Anyone else need refills?" she asked as a distraction. Once in the other room, she looked into Scarlett's eyes.

"Katy-bird? Are you okay?" she asked, trying to remember how Reid said he could tell when she was going into a flashback.

Scarlett's face was white, as if all the blood had drained from her face. She met Penelope's eyes.

"I… I'm okay… I just, uh, was thinking something… it kind of threw me off guard," she breathed out.

"Just keep breathing, sweetie," Garcia rubbed her hands up and down Scarlett's arms. "You kinda stopped for a minute out there," she told her. "I thought you were going to pass out…"

Scarlett breathed in deeply through her nose, slowly out her mouth. She glanced over to the living room, watching Norie with Spencer.

"Was it a good thing or a bad thing?" Penny asked, moving to stand beside Scarlett and wrapping an arm around her friend.

"Ah, it was a good thing, sweetie… I wasn't expecting it though," she shook her head, tears gathering in her eyes. She smiled softly.

"I saw Spencer as a father…" she took another steadying breath. "I saw him with our kids…" she breathed out, the emotion so intense it made her shake a little. She rubbed her hand over her heart, feeling an ache there.

"Ohhhh," Penelope hugged Scarlett tighter. "Awe, Katy… you'll be okay, doll…" she kissed her temple.

"I've never felt this before…" Scarlett told her friend honestly. "Never…"

"It's like a pull… Like I want to reach for something, but it's scary, too…" she told Penny. "I don't know how to handle it…"

Penelope met Scarlett's eyes. "Honey… there's nothing to handle. You just follow your heart," she told her.

Scarlett looked back over at Reid. "My heart is telling me I want a family with that man…" she sighed, rubbing at her heart again. "I feel like I'm missing something…"

"Oh boy," Penelope giggled. "I think you better start planning that wedding, baby girl. Reid's a little old-fashion that way… He's going to want you to be his wife before then…"

"Right, yes…" Scarlett scrubbed a hand over her face, trying to stop the images running through her mind. "I know…" she told her friend.

"Okay then… when's the wedding?" Penelope teased.

Scarlett shook her head.

"Maybe sooner than you'd think," she answered. Pulling her friend further into the kitchen, she explained to Penelope about her and Spencer's earlier discussion, how they wanted to adopt Norie and how that would include signing the papers to make them legally married.

"We would have a regular wedding later, with everyone," Scarlett finished, not wanting her friend to think they were leaving them out. "In Vegas, so his mom could attend…"

Scarlett watched Penelope's face as she stood there in silence, her eyes wide.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"Penny?"

Garcia's eyes looked around quickly, pulling Scarlett closer, tugging her arms until they were face to face.

"You are _eloping_?" she squeaked, her voice taking on a higher pitch.

Scarlett shook her head. "No, no- it's just that we'd have to have a marriage license to begin the adoption paperwork, it can take up to six months just for that to be final- so we figured we'd get it started… as long as Norie says yes…" she tried to quell the excitement she saw in her friend's eyes.

"Penny…" she stated, her voice taking on a warning tone. "We haven't…"

"You are _eloping_?!" Penelope squealed, her voice rising. She stopped suddenly, as if a thought occurred to her.

"_Without_ me? Ho, ho… no. No, no, no… No way…"

Scarlett squeezed Garcia's hands. "Pens… we haven't asked Norie yet…"

"No way you are leaving me out… you'll need witnesses. Well, I'm a big ole witness, right here… Hello!" Penelope waved her hand in front of Scarlett's face and kept on talking, her voice speeding up while getting louder.

"PAH NEL OH PEA…" Scarlett took her friend by the shoulders, spelling out the phonetics of her name loudly, trying to gain her attention. Penny stopped talking, covering her own mouth with her hands.

"Are you with me?" Scarlett watched her carefully, seeing the strain in Penny's face as she tried to hold back. Penelope nodded, still covering her mouth.

"Okay… hold that thought, girl, please… We haven't asked Norie yet… okay? We were going to ask tonight, when we find the right time…"

"Now?!" Penelope whispered, uncovering and covering her mouth as she spoke the word. Her eyes shone in excitement. "Please?!" she asked, repeating the movement.

"Pens…" Scarlett watched her start to bounce in place. "You aren't going to be able to keep this a secret, are you?" she asked.

Garcia shook her head. She took a breath behind her hand and snorted.

"Oh, for the love of toads…" Scarlett muttered. "You have to… at least for a while," she warned her. "I'll have to talk to Spencer…"

Scarlett moved back into the living room, Garcia following her closely. Reid took one look at Penelope's face and sat up straighter in the chair. He looked from Scarlett back to Garcia.

"You let the cat out of the bag, didn't you?" Spencer asked, watching Penelope run to hide behind Morgan.

Norie looked over at her sister, then back to her lap where the cats were now sleeping contentedly.

"You should never put cats in bags, sissy," Norie shook her head. "Even I know that, and I just learned how to pick them up correctly," she told Scarlett with a baleful glance.

"No," Scarlett laughed. "I guess I shouldn't…" she grinned as Spencer rolled his eyes.

"It's just an expression, sweetie…" he told Norie, giving the girl a one armed hug. "It's only an idiom. Scarlett didn't have your kitties in any bags," he sighed. He was quickly realizing that Norie had as many difficulties with context and social queues as he had at her age.

"What I meant was, it looks like your sister mentioned something in front of someone, when I'd thought we were going to talk later about it…" he told her, pushing her hair off her face.

"Like a secret?" Norie looked over at Scarlett. "You shouldn't let secrets out of bags, Scarlett," she told her. "I guess that sounds better, even if technically you couldn't keep a secret inside a bag," the child rambled.

"No, I guess not," Scarlett agreed, interrupting the little girl's thoughts.

Scarlett sat across Spencer's lap, facing Norie. "Especially when the person I hand the bag over to can only be expected to fill it with confetti and pop it over my head…" she threw a look over Derek's shoulder at Penelope.

Morgan looked back at Garcia. She only shook her head, keeping her face covered with her hands.

"What's going on, guys? You know 'confetti girl' here, is going to spill her guts to me as soon as we are alone, so you may as well fill me in…" he told them.

Scarlett watched as Spencer looked down at Norie's head, and then met her eyes.

"Where do you want to start, crazy girl?" he asked, not quite sure how to begin the conversation with the little girl. Scarlett took a deep breath.

"Okay… well…" she scooted closer to Norie, touching the girl's cheek, bringing her eyes up to her own.

"Norie, this is important, so I need you to pay attention, okay?" she asked.

Noreen's eyes widened, looking from Scarlett to Spencer. "Did something bad happen? Is Mama okay?"

Scarlett shook her head. "No, no, baby- not at all… Everything, everyone is fine… I, uh, we- Spencer and I just wanted to ask you something that was important…"

"Am I in trouble? Is it because I broke another ornament?" the little girl's face scrunched. "Do I have to leave? Is there a case?" she continued.

"Oh, geez," Scarlett looked at Spencer at a loss. She couldn't get a word in edgewise against the tidal wave of thoughts pouring out of Norie's mouth.

"I usually just kiss you, when you get like this," she told Spencer, rolling her eyes. She cocked her head, thinking of something, and then reached over, planting a kiss to Norie's nose.

The girl stopped talking mid-sentence, looking at Scarlett cross eyed. "Oh!" she said surprised.

"You are not in trouble. The ornament is no big deal, you aren't going anywhere, nobody is leaving, and we are still on break- no cases…" Spencer spelled out for her, answering her questions in order as Scarlett always did for him when he went into one of his tirades. Throwing a look to Scarlett, he gave her a grin.

"But your sister and I want to talk to you about something important. It's a decision, a grown up one, which will affect you, Norie. So we want you to listen, and we want your thoughts on this, understand?"

"Oh…" the girl looked between the two adults now watching her. "Okay…" she said softly. "I'm listening," she stated in seriousness.

"Okay," Scarlett started again, feeling the nerves jump in her system. "Noreen, you know Spencer and I are getting married, right?"

Norie nodded, still watching between the two.

"Well, see when we do, both of our names will be Reid… and, well, Spencer and I started thinking… and talking…" she took a breath, feeling her throat tightening up.

Spencer noticed the strain in Scarlett's voice and rubbed her back. He reached over and kissed her temple.

"I got this," he told her and Scarlett hid her face in his neck. He reached over and took Norie's hands.

"I want your sister to have my name, so I asked her to marry me," he told the girl. "I want you to have my name… _we_ want you to have _our_ name… so we want to ask if we can adopt you," he told her.

Norie stared wide eyed at the two of them.

"You want to adopt me?" she asked, her voice quiet.

"Yes," Scarlett nodded. "We want to adopt you…"

"We want to be family, legally, and that includes you, Noreen," Spencer added.

"Oh… oh!" Norie covered her mouth with her hands.

Scarlett watched her. "Is that a good 'oh!' or a bad 'oh..'," she asked, unable to read the little girl's eyes.

Norie shook her head. "I don't know… I just…" tears welled up in her eyes. "You want me?" she asked incredulously.

Scarlett hugged the girl close. "Yes, baby… more than you can imagine," she told her. "_We_ want you…"

Noreen wrapped her arms around Scarlett and tried to reach Spencer also. He moved slightly, so he could pull the girl into his arms.

"Yes, oh, yes…" Norie cried, hugging them tightly. "I want to have a family," she told them, burying her face between Scarlett's and Reid's chests.

"I want this… forever," she told them.

Spencer sighed, pressing a kiss to each of the girls' hair as he held on to them. He felt Scarlett shake slightly as she sobbed silently, holding the younger girl.

"Then it's settled," he told them both, pulling back to look at them. "We'll get the lawyer started on the paperwork… and we'll be officially a family," he stated, looking down into the pair of green eyes that he'd come to love so much.

Morgan swiped at his eyes roughly, looking away quickly before anyone noticed. Penelope kissed his cheek.

"Softie," she whispered, grinning at him. He gave her a lop-sided smile, kissing her quickly.

"Shh, don't tell," he told her. Turning back to the others, he stood.

"I think congratulations are in order…" he told them, heading into the kitchen and pulling a bottle of wine from the rack. He filled five glasses and Penelope gave him a hand carrying them back over. She handed the one with the lesser amount to Norie with a wink.

Derek raised his glass, catching Spencer's eyes directly.

"To the Reid's…" he grinned, toasting the new family. "May you live happily ever after," he said, touching his glass to Spencer's.

"Here, here," Penelope rang her glass to Scarlett and Norie's.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

"So…" Penelope set her glass down, looking at Scarlett. "This leads us back to my argument…"

Scarlett rolled her eyes.

"And I'm pulling your brother into it…" Garcia added, sticking her tongue out at Scarlett. Norie giggled, settling back into her sister's arms to watch the interaction.

"Derek… Scarlett _thinks_ that they are going to just 'sign some papers' and be married. _Quietly_…"

Morgan sat back down on the arm of the couch. "Uh-oh…" he grinned.

"No… no 'uh-oh'," Scarlett insisted. "We need the marriage license to start the adoption. We'll sign the papers, and have a wedding at another time, when everyone can be there. This is just the formality…" she stated, frowning at Garcia.

Morgan reached over and took Penelope's hand. "Baby girl… if that's how they want this…"

Garcia frowned at him, and then turned the look on Scarlett. "You cannot elope without me," she insisted. "I reject that reality and substitute it with my own…" she demanded.

"Penny, we aren't 'eloping'," Scarlett tried to smooth out her friend's feelings. "We are just going to quietly sign the paperwork…"

"Which, I believe, is the very _definition_ of eloping…" Penelope scowled. "Come on Scarlett! Please?! You are going to need witnesses to sign the license! Why can't it be me and Derek? Why would you want some stranger's names on your _marriage_ certificate? _PLEASE_?" she whined, squeezing her hands together.

Her over dramatic pleading made Spencer laugh, and she played on that, getting on her knees and scooting over to Scarlett. A devilish twinkle sparkled in her eyes as she moved to Scarlett's side.

"I'll beg… I'll whine… I'll drive you freaking crazy, Katy Scarlett…" Penelope teased, grabbing Scarlett's hands. "So you might as well give in and let me be there!"

"Oh. By the Gods..." Scarlett squeezed her friend's hands as she laughed. "You would too, wouldn't you? You'll drive me insane over this…" she shook her head. Looking into Spencer's eyes, she asked him a question without words. He nodded.

"Fine," Scarlett relented, looking back to Penelope. "You and Derek will stand with us, but…"

She didn't get to finish her sentence as Garcia grabbed her into a huge bear hug, pulling her out of the chair.

"Oooof," Scarlett felt the air rush out of her lungs as Penny landed on her in a roll.

"There is a 'but'…" Scarlett insisted loudly, trying to catch her breath.

"Oh… poo," Penelope squeezed Scarlett again. "Let me have my moment," she giggled. "Then you can throw in your 'buts'," she teased.

Norie scooted closer to Spencer, laying her head against his shoulder. He heard her giggle at Penelope and Scarlett's antics as they rolled around on the floor.

"They are crazy, aren't they," he laughed with her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

Norie sighed with a smile. "This is what family feels like," she grinned up at Spencer. "All this love, the teasing, the laughing…" she looked over at Morgan as he shoved a foot against Scarlett's butt, knocking her back onto Penelope.

"We are already a family," she told him, "Now we are just going to put it on paper…"

Spencer nodded. "Exactly…" he responded, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "So the world knows…"

Morgan had gotten into the fray, picking up Scarlett and throwing her over his shoulder. Spencer grinned at her as she hung upside down in front of his face.

"A little help here, boy, would be nice," she teased, sticking her tongue out at him. Norie stood up on the chair, jumping into Derek's arms.

"I'll help, Sissy!" she laughed, squealing as Penelope stood up and started tickling her. She let go of Derek and turned in Garcia's arms.

Penelope gave the girl a hug, setting her down.

"Okay, Katy-bird…" Garcia panted out with a giggle. "Let's hear the 'buts'," she stated.

"We are going to have a wedding, with the family… Mama, Sarah, Desi, the kids… and Spencer's mother…"

"The rest of the team, too…" Reid stated. "Everyone…"

"Right, everyone…" Scarlett agreed. "So they can't know about this part, until after then…" she looked at Penelope.

"It has to be our secret, just the five of us. I don't want anyone's feeling to be hurt," Scarlett emphasized.

Garcia grimaced. "I promise…" she said, lifting her hand over her heart. "But you have to at least set a date for the wedding," she begged. "So I know there's an end to my secrecy…"

Scarlett moved back over to sit between Reid and Norie. "When we get the date to sign the papers for Norie's adoption," she offered. "After Norie is officially ours," she said, kissing the girl's hair. "Then we'll have a big party…" she grinned.

"Okay," Garcia mentally did the math, counting the months in her head. "So possibly a June wedding?" she grinned.

Spencer leaned his chin on Scarlett's shoulder. "Why not Halloween?" he asked, nudging her. "That's more than enough time to set up a wedding," he stated, knowing that Scarlett's sisters would run with the plans once the date was settled. "And the papers would be done by then for the adoption…" he offered.

He watched as Scarlett's eyes went slightly unfocused. He smiled at the soft look on her face as she imagined it and pressed a kiss to her lips.

Scarlett closed her eyes, feeling Reid's lips move against hers and sighed. "It sounds perfect," she smiled, opening her eyes to look into Spencer's. "A Halloween wedding…"

"That would be awesome," Penelope agreed with a huge smile. "It's your favorite day…" she told Scarlett.

"Okay," she grinned. "We'll have our wedding for Samhain…"

Spencer rubbed his cheek against her hair. "And we'll be married for the New Year," he told her.

Norie sat back, looking at Spencer and Scarlett. "And you'll be 'Reid's', with me not long after…" she said with a smile, excited about taking Spencer's name.

Spencer looked over at her, giving the girl a grin. "Yep- you both will be mine…" he teased, taking her by the arm, pulling the little girl into their hug. He gave a fake evil laugh, squeezing the both of them in his arms.

Scarlett chuckled. "And you'll be ours," she snuggled against him.

Derek met Reid's eyes from across the room.

"Merry Christmas, kid…" he grinned. "Looks like Santa brought you a set of red-heads…"

Spencer laughed and smiled brightly. "I wouldn't ask for anything more…" he told his friend, kissing Scarlett's hair.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

They'd decided to go out to dinner to celebrate, instead of ordering in. The small impromptu party had gathered at the local Thai restaurant. After the dinner, they parted company, Morgan and Garcia heading back to their homes while Spencer, Scarlett and Norie decided to walk the couple blocks back to their apartment.

Spencer held Scarlett's hand, lacing his fingers with hers.

"It's Christmas Eve," Scarlett looked up into the sky, searching past the clouds, looking at the stars. She stopped walking for a moment when she spotted one and breathed in deeply, smelling snow in the air. Closing her eyes, she offered up a prayer, her lips moving silently as she sent her energy into the universe.

Spencer watched her, stopping alongside her as she looked up into the sky. He saw her lips move, but couldn't quite make out what she was saying. He tugged her hand, bringing her closer to his side.

"What did you wish for?" he asked quietly, setting his arm around her shoulders, pressing a kiss to her temple.

Scarlett wrapped her arm around his waist, turning her face into his chest. "I already have everything I've ever wished for, farm boy…" she grinned. "I was sending out a million 'thank you's' for all of it," she sighed, watching Norie as she skipped along ahead of them.

"Hmm…" Spencer looked up at the sky, adding his thoughts to hers. Scarlett noticed the action and squeezed his hip.

"What did you wish for?" she giggled.

Spencer grinned. "If I tell you, doesn't that cancel it out?" he asked, teasing her.

"I'll say 'no', because I want to know…" she nudged him.

"Well, then…" he pulled her close, leaning forward to meet her lips softly.

Scarlett felt the warmth spread through her body as he deepened the kiss, moving his hands to her face, framing her cheeks, running his thumbs over her jaw. He nipped at her lips, stealing her breath, moving his fingers into her hair to hold her close as he ravished her mouth.

She sighed when he pulled back a bit, smiling down into her eyes.

"You are one hell of a kisser, Dr. Reid," she told him, pressing her fingers against her swollen lips. "Have I ever told you that?" she teased.

Spencer watched her green eyes sparkle up at him. "Maybe a time or two," he grinned, running his fingers through her hair.

"Mmm," she tilted her back, reaching to link her arms behind his neck. "I think I need to tell you more often…"

He met her lips again, rubbing his nose against her wind-burnt cheek. "I think I need to kiss you more often," he responded, covering her mouth under his…

"Guys! Look! It's snowing!" Noreen danced in circles through the flurries, heading back to where they were standing together. She giggled, pushing between them, rolling her eyes.

"It's a good thing you are getting married already…" she teased.

Scarlett laughed, hooking an arm around her sister. "Isn't it though?" she said, reaching her other arm behind Spencer. She leaned into his chest, looking up and meeting his hazel eyes.

Spencer saw some of the snowflakes catch along her lashes. He kissed them away, tucking her in closer to his coat.

"Let's get inside," he told Norie, chasing the little girl up the stairs. "Your sister's getting cold," he commented on Scarlett's reddened cheeks.

Scarlett laughed, following them up the stairs to the apartment. "I'm fine," she told him, poking him in the back. "This isn't even cold, compared to Chicago winters," she scoffed.

Noreen entered the apartment, heading right over to the basket in her bedroom. Scarlett watched her from the doorway as she checked on the cats.

"They are sleeping…" Norie said in an exaggerated whisper.

"Good… now all you have to do is go to bed and then Santa can come," Scarlett grinned.

Norie gave Scarlett a dramatic sigh. "Sissy, I am _way_ too old to believe in Santa Claus," she rolled her eyes.

Scarlett put her finger to her lips. "Shh, not in front of Spencer…" she teased.

Norie let out a peal of laughter. "Spence knows Santa's not real either," she giggled.

"Never!" Spencer called out as he stuck his head the doorway. "Are you ever too old to believe in magic? I think that's about the saddest thing I've ever heard…"

"Uh-oh, now you've done it…" Scarlett told her, handing Norie her pajamas. "Go, grab your shower and get ready for bed… Spencer is going to want to tell you a story all about Santa and magic when you're done…"

Norie cocked an eyebrow at him as she passed by him. It reminded him so much of Scarlett, he laughed out loud.

"She's picking up your attitude, crazy girl…" he teased, seeing Scarlett watching them.

"Oh, boy…" she stood before him, tugging on his shirt until he leaned down for a kiss. "You're a dead man…" she shook her head sadly.

"I think I can hold my own," he grinned, pulling her up on her toes for another kiss.

"Mmm, maybe… since I haven't killed you yet…" she grinned. "Maybe later…"

Spencer heard the shower turn on in the other room. "We have a little time now, if you want to start…" he grinned, taking her by the hand, tugging her towards the living room couch.

Scarlett climbed onto his lap as he sat, straddling his hips. "Start now, finish later?" she grinned, biting at his bottom lip. She deepened the kiss.

"Something like that," he agreed, shifting her to his side and tucking her under him. He pressed his lips against her throat grazing the sensitive skin there with the stubble along his chin.

Scarlett wrapped one leg over his hip, pulling him closer. She ran her fingers through his hair, taking his lips again. A purr built up in her throat…

She stopped abruptly when she suddenly smelled soap, considerably closer than it should have been.

"You two _really_ need to get married…" Norie huffed, ignoring them as she passed, heading over to the book shelves.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Spencer dropped his head against Scarlett's shoulder, blushing hotly. "That had to be the world's fastest shower," he muttered, throwing a look over at Norie.

"It doesn't take long," the girl huffed, still keeping her back to them. "I'm short, I don't have a lot of area to cover," she threw back at them.

Scarlett laughed, pulling herself back into a sitting position as Spencer did the same. "I'm sorry if we embarrassed you, little one…"

Norie looked over her shoulder, back at Scarlett. She shrugged. "I'm not embarrassed," she told them. "It's not like you weren't actually doing 'it'," she said nonchalantly. "It's perfectly natural to…"

Spencer cut her off.

"Uh, no… nope… no... I am sooo not having any part of this conversation," he said, moving from the couch to head into the kitchen. Scarlett chuckled softly as she noticed his ears burning brightly.

Norie hid her giggle behind her hand. "I think I embarrassed Spencer," she grinned, moving to sit next to Scarlett.

"Looks like," Scarlett shook her head, still laughing. "He's kind of shy that way," she told her sister.

Norie looked around Scarlett into the kitchen. She saw that Spencer was distracting himself by making hot chocolate and shrugged.

"There's no reason to be embarrassed, though," she stated. "I didn't interrupt anything," she looked over at Scarlett.

"'Anything', in the way you seem to be determining it, little one, would only be behind locked doors," she told the girl. "So no, you didn't interrupt 'anything' and you wouldn't. We were only kissing…"

Spencer brought in the tray of cocoa, setting it before them.

"Are we done discussing…?" he asked.

Scarlett grinned up at him. "Not quite, pretty boy," she told him.

"Ugh," he turned, starting to head into their bedroom. Norie giggled.

"You can stay, I'll talk to my sister about kissing and sex another time, Spencer…" the girl chirped out, mostly to see the look on his face. It didn't disappoint…

Scarlett saw the evil grin on Norie's face, and nudged her.

Spencer felt his neck and face burn. "Please, don't ever say 'sex' to me in a sentence ever again?" he asked her. "You are twelve… you shouldn't talk about that or kissing until you are thirty," he told her, half seriously. He sat down in the opposite side of the couch, staring at the two of them.

Norie looked over at him. "Thirty?" she teased. "I've already kissed a boy…" she crossed her arms over her chest, giving him a steely look.

"Ah, god," he covered his ears. "I thought you said you'd stop!" he begged.

Norie laughed, leaning over to grab a mug of cocoa.

"So, you have?" Scarlett asked, taking her own cup. She looked at Norie over the steam.

"Well, yes," her sister answered, sitting straighter. "Not how you two were just…"

"Yeah, got it..." Spencer interrupted her sentence. "I'm going to… find something else to do…" he blushed again, leaving the room.

Norie giggled. "But yes, I let a boy kiss me," she said, meeting Scarlett's eyes. "After school, last month."

"And?" Scarlett let the girl tell her story. "I'm going to need more details, little one…" she watched her sister's eyes.

"His name is Billy," Norie blushed slightly. "He walked me home from the bus stop and he carried my bag. It, umm, it made me think of Spencer, when he did that… how he always does stuff like that for you?" she mentioned, meeting Scarlett's gaze.

"Mmm, yes, chivalry is not dead, and it'll get you in the heart, every time," she smiled, waiting for Norie to continue.

"Yeah, I guess. So anyway, when I took my stuff back, he just leaned over and kissed me… right on the lips," she said her face scrunching up at the memory.

"Oh, boy… that was a risk on his part," Scarlett said, trying to maintain a straight face. This was serious business for a twelve year old, she reminded herself.

Norie looked at her sister. "How so?" she asked.

"Well, because I'm assuming this Billy is in your grade, right? You see him every day?"

"Yeah," Norie said.

"Then he took a risk, stealing a kiss like that- you could have teased him about it in front of his friends and everything… I think he must like you to take that chance…"

Norie shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't say anything… I didn't even do anything, I was just…"

"Shocked?" Scarlett offered.

"Yeah, totally shocked… and he hasn't said anything or walked home with me since…"

"Hmm. He may be wondering if you are mad, or if you didn't like it, or don't like him, for that matter," Scarlett told her.

"I think if you do like him, maybe you should start talking to him. Say something to start a conversation, see where it goes… If he talks to you or walks you home again, you'll have a new friend."

"And if not, if you don't end up having anything in common… at least you have a nice memory of your first kiss," Scarlett told her, leaning over to press her lips to Noreen's brow. "Right?"

"Right," Norie beamed. "I had my first kiss…" she looked up at Scarlett.

"How old were you when you had your first kiss?" she asked.

Scarlett stopped and held herself rigidly as the girl's innocent question brought up quick flashes of images in her mind. Norie noticed the panic in her eyes and moved closer, taking Scarlett's hand.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry, sissy, I wasn't thinking…"

Scarlett shook her head, fighting back against the thoughts. "No, baby. Don't be sorry," she met Norie's eyes directly, holding herself against the onslaught. She spoke to her little sister levelly, needing to explain and not wanting the girl to blame herself for anything.

"You know how I told you that my mind remembers everything… like watching a movie?" she began, slowly. When Norie nodded, listening closely, she continued.

"Well, I am learning to move through the memories, good or bad… so I don't get blindsided by something. It's important for me to learn… Because, especially if I am out in the field- I can't have something pop up and distract me. So, don't be sorry, little one. Keep asking me questions- because it helps… I _have_ to learn… Do you understand?" Scarlett asked tightly.

Norie nodded. "Are you okay, Scarlett?"

"Yes, I'm fine… It's just… landmines," she breathed deeply. "I have to pick around the landmines while looking for the good memory," she explained, looking around the room, quickly.

"Spencer!"


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"Spence!" she called for him, feeling the panic crawling on her skin. He came into the living room, looking between the two of them.

"Are you done now?" he asked, jokingly. His eyes locked on Scarlett's and he saw pain there.

"What's wrong?" he asked, moving to her side quickly. He held her hand, watching her face. "What happened?"

"Not wrong… it's just…" she said as she tried to regulate her breathing, her eyes not quite focused on him. "Just memories…" she told him. Her eyes cleared for a second, watching him. "Landmines," she told him, going back into the pictures in her mind.

"I asked her about her first kiss…" Norie said. "I forgot…"

Spencer looked over at Norie. "It's okay… we're working on this, right Scarlett?" his voice took a different tone, calmer, as he spoke to Scarlett. He breathed in slowly, taking both her hands in his.

"Breathe with me, Katy. I'm right here," he told her. "Focus on my voice…"

Scarlett nodded, squeezing his hands, letting him know she heard him.

"Alright, now just go slowly…" he said, leading her through her thoughts. "Norie asked you about your first kiss," he reminded her. "Tell me…" he stated, watching her face as she filtered through her thoughts.

Norie watched as Scarlett's eyes tracked back and forth, not seeing what was before her in the room, but watching images in her head.

"You are hypnotizing her," she said quietly, scooting closer to Spencer.

Reid nodded, not wanting to speak or break the connection to Scarlett. He concentrated on his breathing, as Scarlett followed him.

Scarlett stared into his eyes. "I let a boy kiss me, for some cigarettes…" she winced slightly at the memory. "I need a smoke," she said, still locked in the thought. "I don't have any…"

Spencer sighed, holding back from speaking, but knowing that she wasn't thinking of happy memories.

"Mama was mad," she continued. "I told her… because it was the first time I ever kissed a boy… I was at her house after…" she held onto the thoughts of that day, the pictures flying across her mind's eye.

"She told me that I was worth much more than that… I shouldn't ever trade favors for anything…" Scarlett shook her head. "I felt like I disappointed her…" she said, tears welling in her eyes.

"Scarlett, listen to me…" Spencer guided her away from the sad thoughts with his voice.

"Fran Morgan loves you. She's always loved you and wanted you to love yourself. She wasn't disappointed in you. She wanted you to want better…" he told her sternly. "And you did it… you listened to her and learned…"

Scarlett nodded, wiping at her eyes swiftly. She grabbed Spencer's hand again.

"Yes. Mama loves me. She always showed me how to be better- how to make myself better…"

Spencer nodded. "Yes, and you learned from her. You are that better person, and she's proud of you…"

Scarlett swallowed against the lump in her throat. "She helped make me who I am…"

"Absolutely," Spencer agreed. "And you are very special," he told her, brushing a quick kiss to her temple.

"Now," he directed her thoughts back to the original question. "Tell me about the first time a boy kissed you, just to kiss you, Scarlett," he asked, wanting to hear her happier memories.

Scarlett sighed, flipping through the pages in her mind. Reid saw her face change, as a painful memory worked its way through.

"It's okay, Katy… I'm still here. Close the door on that one," he told her. "It's in the past, it's not real… It cannot touch you now…" he reminded her, breathing evenly and waiting for her to pick up and repeat the action. Scarlett followed his example, keeping her breath in time with his.

She nodded once, squeezing her eyes shut, as if pushing against the thought took great effort. He held her hands tightly, supporting her.

Scarlett breathed in deeply, opening her eyes to look into his once more.

"I was at Mama's," she started talking again. "I'm living there, now," she said, a new memory playing out in her head.

"Derek had some friends over, we are shooting nine ball down in the family room," she remembered, her words changing the tenses, as if becoming confused between the past and present.

Spencer held on to her hands. "Stay with me, Scarlett…" he warned her, hearing the change in her voice.

"I was fourteen," she smiled softly, not seeing Spencer in front of her anymore.

Reid noticed the childish tone taking over her speech and moved closer to her.

"Scarlett…" he called her name, watching her eyes. When he looked into them, he could see they were slightly unfocused, looking through him, instead of at him. He went on guard, moving his hands from hers up to her arms, holding her, in case she tried to run.

Norie was watching Scarlett's behavior intensely. She heard the slight change in pitch in her sister's voice and noticed how Spencer became defensive. She moved closer to Scarlett's side, opposite him and looked between his face and Scarlett's. She could see the distant look in her eyes.

Spencer met Noreen's questioning gaze and held it as the younger girl moved closer to Scarlett's side. When she wrapped her own arm around Scarlett's waist, he knew she understood. He gave her a nod, swallowing against the emotions welling in his throat.

"Scarlett," he called her again. "Look at me…" he ordered. "Look at your sister…"

"We are here, right here, beside you…" he told her, locking his eyes to hers. "We love you and need you stay with us, understand?" he asked, trying to bring her back, out of her thoughts.

Norie felt Scarlett squeeze her arm, and saw she was doing the same to Spencer's.

"I'm here," Scarlett spoke quietly, her voice returning to normal. "I'm okay…" she told them both, holding on to their hands. She breathed deeply, looking into Reid's eyes.

"I'm here," she repeated, her eyes refocusing a bit, seeing him before her. Spencer released a tense breath as Scarlett continued her story.

"The one boy, Mike, had just won the game… It was a really great shot…" she said with a grin.

"He kinda just grabbed me, I wasn't expecting it… and he kissed me," she smiled at the memory.

Spencer watched her remember the kiss, feeling relief settle on his heart.

"That's a sweet memory, Katy," he told her, bringing her back from her thoughts.

"I need you to keep that one, crazy girl. Hold on to the good ones, release the bad ones, alright?" he told her softly, moving his hands from her to rub her arms.

Scarlett kept watching him. "Right," she nodded again. "Good memories stay…"

He released her arms, pulling away from her, just a bit. "Okay, now I want you to come back, Scarlett. All the way… follow my voice…" he told her, watching for her eyes to clear.

"You control your mind, remember that… and come back," he stated firmly.

Scarlett shook her head, breaking the contact with his eyes. When she opened them again, she searched around the room quickly, re-orienting herself. Her breathing changed, starting to hitch, as her nerves jumped through her system. She glanced at Norie, then back to Spencer, and grabbed their hands.

"You are alright, Scarlett," he told her. "Breathe…"

Scarlett nodded, rubbing at her temples. She felt a migraine starting. Spencer's hands were on her shoulders, rubbing at her neck, trying to release the tension there.

"Can you put my music on, please?" she asked, needing something to focus on.

Norie grabbed the remote quickly and tuned in Scarlett's playlist. "Demons" by Imagine Dragons filled the room.

Scarlett pressed her fingers to her eyes. "Fitting," she said, listening to the lyrics. She opened her eyes, focusing on Reid.

_When the days are cold, and the cards all fold; And the saints we see, are all made of gold... When your dreams all fail, and the ones we hail; Are the worst of all, and the blood's run stale… I wanna hide the truth; I wanna shelter you… But with the beast inside, There's nowhere we can hide._

Spencer watched her lips as they repeated the lyrics. Her eyes stayed locked on his face, as if hanging on to an anchor.

_No matter what we breed, We still are made of greed; This is my kingdom come, This is my kingdom come… When you feel my heat, Look into my eyes… It's where my demons hide; It's where my demons hide!_

_Don't get too close- It's dark inside… It's where my demons hide; It's where my demons hide!_

Spencer saw the intensity that she put into those words and caught her eyes.

"I am not afraid of your demons, Scarlett…" he told her, taking her hands in his.

_At the curtain's call, it's the last of all, when the lights fade out, all the sinners crawl… So they dug your grave, and the masquerade… will come calling out, at the mess you made… _

_Don't wanna let you down; but I am hell bound! Though this is all for you- don't wanna hide the truth!_

He lifted her hands, kissing the back of them gently. "You aren't beyond redemption, Katy Scarlett," he spoke softly. "You aren't disappointing anyone. You are so much more than what is in your past and so much stronger than your demons…"

_No matter what we breed, we still are made of greed; this is my kingdom come, this is my kingdom come… When you feel my heat, look into my eyes; _

_It's where my demons hide! It's where my demons hide! Don't get too close! It's dark inside! It's where my demons hide! It's where my demons hide!_

_They say it's what you make, I say it's up to fate- It's woven in my soul, I need to let you go… Your eyes, they shine so bright! I wanna save that light; I can't escape this now, Unless you show me how…_

Scarlett repeated the lyrics, turning her hand to touch his face. She pressed her palm against his cheek, feeling his lips move over the pulse at her wrist.

"You help me fight them," she told him, running her fingers along his cheekbone. Spencer locked his eyes with hers.

"Always…" he promised her.

_When you feel my heat, look into my eyes… It's where my demons hide! It's where my demons hide! Don't get too close- It's dark inside! It's where my demons hide! It's where my demons hide!_

Scarlett moved up onto her knees on the couch so she was eye level with him. She reached forward and kissed him lightly.

"I love you, farm boy," she said gently as she stroked his cheek.

"As I love you, crazy girl," he told her, pulling her close. Scarlett relaxed against him, curling up to his chest. Spencer held her, lightly brushing her hair from her face.

Scarlett looked over at Norie.

"I hope I didn't scare you, little one," she apologized, watching the younger girl's face.

Norie watched her sister closely.

"No, I'm not scared…" she explained. "I was worried… but not now. You are okay?"

"I'm fine," Scarlett nodded. "It's better to work through it than bury it…" she took a deep breath, rubbing her cheek against Spencer's chest.

"What happens if you don't? If you push it away?" she asked, interested.

Spencer ran his hand down Scarlett's hair. "She'll get sick… headaches, nausea…" his brow furrowed, remembering the first time he'd seen her in the hold of a flashback. "Panic attacks…" he told Norie.

"Worst case scenario, she has flashbacks. It's a form of PTSD…" he explained.

Scarlett lifted her head, scrubbing at her face. "Stop talking about me like I'm not here," she groused, starting to become annoyed.

"Sorry," he apologized, giving her a soft smile. Scarlett frowned at him for a second longer before kissing his nose.

"Apology accepted," she told him, moving off his lap to get a bottle of water from the fridge.

Norie watched her closely and Spencer reached over to nudge her.

"Don't do that…" he warned the girl. "She'll get mad…" he whispered.

"I want to know more…" she whispered back. "I want to learn. I want to be able to do what you did, so I can help…"

"I know," he said, most often times feeling the same way. "But you have to be a little more subtle about your approach," he grinned.

"I know you two are still talking about me…" Scarlett called out from the kitchen.

Spencer grinned as Norie rolled her eyes.

"Not everything is about you, Sissy…" she teased. "You're so vain…"

Scarlett came back into the room, sitting down in the chair across from them.

"Mmm-hmm…" she looked over at them, arching her brow. "Then what are we talking about?"

Norie looked over at Spencer. "Santa Claus," she winked. Scarlett laughed.

"Okay, Santa it is then," she agreed, officially changing the subject.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Scarlett turned, leaving Norie's door slightly ajar so the cats could leave the room as they wanted. She looked back at the girl's sleeping form, her face lightly dimly by the night-light on the side table. Leaning against the doorjamb, she sighed. They'd spent the better part of the hour between taking turns reading to the little girl and answering her multitude of questions. Scarlett felt like she knew more now about the beginnings of the Christmas season and all of its trappings than she'd even thought she'd wanted to know. Norie's mind was exhausting… and Scarlett was becoming more and more grateful that at least Reid's could keep up with it.

Spencer watched her from the living room, leaning forward on his arm as he saw her stop, looking back in the room at her sister. He saw her sigh deeply, a small smile on her lips.

She turned, feeling his eyes on her and met his gaze. Crooking her finger towards him, she indicated for him to come with her.

Spencer followed her into their spare room. Half the space was set up as a home office while Scarlett's altar was set up in the corner under the window. She headed over to it, lighting the candles that she had between the holly and evergreen boughs, then the ones on her Yule log.

"I want to ask you to be a part of a ritual, Spence… if that's okay?" she told him, shyly. "I know you aren't involved in the craft, but…" she mentioned, averting her eyes from his.

Reid moved in front of her, taking her chin in his hand. "Scarlett… no 'buts'… I know that it is important to _you_," he told her. "That's all that matters to me. You matter…"

She nodded, knowing he meant it. "Thank you," she gave him a slight grin and blushed. "It means a lot to me, to know you accept me, as I am," she told him.

"And, umm, I… I want to do this… before we sign any papers…" she stammered nervously and closed her eyes, trying to focus on her words, instead of the butterflies in her stomach. She blew out a breath and met his gaze.

"You've read my grimoire," she stated. "So you'll understand what I'm doing, right?"

Spencer's brow furrowed, unsure of what was making her so anxious… "I think so?" he responded. "I'll figure it out, and I remember that I have to ask questions after…"

Scarlett nodded, pulling a white robe from a hook and slipping it over her shoulders. She pulled a brown one from another hook.

She took Reid's hand, pulling him closer, watching his face as she draped the cloak over his shoulders.

"It is important, to me…" she explained.

Spencer pulled the ties around his neck, and nodded at her. He could tell, since he'd never seen her quite so nervous, especially with a ritual. Most often, she turned to her faith to calm and center herself.

Scarlett took a deep breath as she lit some incense, allowing the scent of the patchouli and rosewood to fill her head. She took a few more calming breaths before turning her focus onto the task at hand.

Taking her athame from the altar, she pointed it in each direction, chanting quietly. She closed her eyes, and he watched her lips as she repeated a prayer, moving through the room. When she finished the preparation, she set the tool back in its place and stood before him.

"I welcome you, Spencer Reid, into my circle," she said out loud, looking into his eyes.

"Merry Christmas, farm boy," she stated quietly as she lifted a small box from the altar.

"I want you to open this first…" she said as she handed it to him. "I need you to open it in here. You'll understand why, in a few minutes."

Spencer gave her a slightly confused smile. "Okay...?" he said, pulling the bow from the box.

He flipped open the lid and looked inside. An antique pocket watch sat on the velvet, its chain wrapped into the fabric, holding it in place. Delicate scroll work designed the front cover. Spencer touched it, tracing the geometric lines.

"Open it," she told him. He lifted his eyes to meet hers, catching the smile in her eyes.

"Okay," he grinned. He took it from the box, pushing the button to unlatch the cover. The face intertwined with the gears, he could see them moving behind the glass. The second hand ticked around the roman numerals, the hands showing it was six minutes past midnight.

Scarlett stood on her toes, looking over his arm. "I had it engraved…" she told him, reaching over to turn the face slightly, pointing to the inside of the cover.

"_Pour tous les temps_…"he read, looking from the words to meet her eyes. He closed his own, touching his forehead to hers. "For all time…" he whispered, lifting his head, kissing her softly.

Scarlett touched his cheek. "There's more," she told him, biting her lip as she gave him a shy grin. She pressed the release button once more, and the clock face opened, showing a secret compartment behind the watch. Spencer looked at the opening that had another piece of glass covering it. It was empty. He met Scarlett's smile, with questions in his eyes. She kissed his cheek lightly, knowing he was restraining himself from asking so many of them.

Scarlett took her athame from the altar and used the tip to lift the glass cover. She handed it to him to hold as she closed her eyes, her lips whispering another prayer.

"With this offering which I give of me, I bind myself, my soul, with thee. This gift is given while my will is free, as I speak, so mote it be…"

Spencer watched as she lifted the athame once again, pulling a small braid from under her hair and cutting it off. She wrapped it around her fingers, touching it to her lips, finishing her spell as she placed it inside the compartment. She took the glass from his hand, snapping it back over the braid, sealing it inside the watch.

Closing her eyes, she silently added another spell into the ritual.

"With this piece given from my heart, protect my lover, should we ever be apart. All my love goes along with thee, as I will, so mote it be…"

He watched her lips move silently over those last words, adding them almost as an afterthought. It sounded like a protection spell. He reminded himself to ask her about it, later, but Scarlett smiled up at him, and he lost all his thoughts somewhere in her eyes.

She reached up, kissing his forehead, then his lips, as she closed the watch and set her blade back onto the altar.

"Will you accept this gift I give to you, Spencer Reid?" she asked, opening his hand and setting the watch against his palm. She closed his fingers over it, trying to impress on him what it meant to her for him to accept it.

"Will you take me as your wife?"

Spencer read the intensity in her eyes, listening to her words, taking them to his heart.

"Yes," he told her, leaning forward to kiss her lips once more. "I do…" he said, keeping his eyes locked on hers, the meaning and intention clear.

Scarlett closed her eyes, breathing in deeply, holding on to the moment. She reached for her neck, lifting a chain up that held a locket.

"This belonged to my grandmother," she told him. "My mother's mother, as that time piece belonged to my grandfather, her _husband_…"

She opened it, showing him the inside where she had the picture she'd taken of him and Norie on the one side. The other side was still empty.

"Now, I'm going to ask for a lock of your hair for my piece," she told him with a soft smile.

Cocking her head, she watched him as she picked her athame up once again.

"Would you offer a piece to me, freely?" she asked. "Will you choose to bind yourself to me, as my husband, Spencer Reid?"

Spencer nodded, sliding the watch into his pocket and taking the knife from her hand. He cut a small piece of his hair from the back of his neck. Handing the blade back to her, he took her locket in his hands. He placed his hair inside it, closing the latch, moving his hands up to frame her face.

He looked deep into her eyes, speaking her words back to her.

"Will you accept this gift I give to you, Scarlett _Reid_?" he asked her softly, running his thumbs along her cheeks, touching the tears that started to track down there.

"Will you take me as your husband?"

Scarlett smiled through her tears, watching his eyes. "Yes," she answered, knowing he understood the meaning behind what they were saying. "I do…" she breathed out, her heart tripping in her chest as he took her mouth with his kiss.

She took a braided leather band from her altar, wrapping the one side around his wrist, taking his hand and continuing the hand-fasting ritual as she wrapped her wrist to his.

"We swear by peace and love to stand, heart to heart and hand to hand. Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now, confirming this as our sacred vow…" Scarlett spoke as she wrapped the ends of the strap together.

"Heart to heart and hand to hand, together now we make our stand. We who were two now stand as one, never broken, and never undone. Our life together, we now start, with joy in spirit and love in heart. 'For all time', is our decree, as we will, so mote it be…"

Spencer heard her words as they sealed into his heart.

"You will always have a piece of me with you," she told him, closing her hand over his.

Spencer kissed her fingers, over her rings and the leather that bound them. He pressed them against his chest, pulling her closer, settling his cheek against her hair.

"Thank you," he said quietly, kissing her head. "I love you, Scarlett. So very much," he told her, his voice rough with emotion. He turned his hand and threaded his fingers into hers, holding tightly.

Scarlett listened to his words vibrate under her ear and sighed. "As I love you, Spence…"

"My spirit has known yours, a very long time, my darling. I've loved you just as long…" she told him, stroking his cheek.

"You are a part of me…" he responded, kissing her wrist.

"As you are a part of me," she answered. He pulled her closer, kissing her lips, lightly at first, then more hungrily...

"Scarlett…" he breathed out her name, pulling back a bit to look into her eyes. She saw the passion heating gaze.

"I want you…" he told her, nudging her cheek with his nose.

Scarlett reached over, untying the cloak from his neck, letting it drop. She did the same to hers, then picked up her athame, opening the circle and tamped out the candles. She tugged on his hand, still bound to hers.

"Come along then, boy…" she said huskily. Spencer felt his heart trip in his chest at the sound of her voice.

"Let's go to bed…"


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Scarlett woke with a start the next morning to the sound of frantic knocking.

"Come on sleepy heads!" she heard Norie's voice through the door. "Santa was here!" the little girl teased, laughing.

Scarlett turned, burying her face against Spencer's shoulder and groaned.

"I can't believe she actually gets up earlier than you…" he mumbled, rolling over to hide his eyes in her pillow.

"I know," Scarlett giggled. "She makes me feel like a slacker," she grinned, looking up into his face.

"Good morning, farm boy…"

Spencer squinted at her. "Good morning, crazy girl…" he said, kissing her forehead. "Merry Christmas…"

"Mmm…" she kissed his chin. "Merry Christmas…" she responded, trying to sit up in the bed. She looked down at where her arm was entangled with his. Their shirts and her bra were intertwined with the leather strap that still was wrapped against their wrists.

Spencer lifted his hand. "I guess we should have taken this off?" he teased. "Didn't really think this part through…" he muttered, attempting to pull the bra free.

Scarlett laughed. "We were thinking about other things," she reminded him as she untied the ends of the leather, loosening the binds.

"Mmm, yeah, there was that," he grinned wickedly, pulling her back underneath him.

"Spence…" she said his name on a laugh as he nipped at her neck. "Norie's waiting on us…" she stated, pulling her arm free.

He shook his own arm loose from his shirt sleeve. "She can be patient…" he teased, moving lower across her collar bone.

"Right, sure she can…" Scarlett laughed. "Were you ever twelve?" she asked.

"A long time ago…" he nodded, his hair falling forward and brushing over her skin. She laughed as it tickled her and he shook his head again, trailing the ends over her breasts.

"Okay, boy…" she giggled. "Norie now, play later…"

Spencer dropped his head against her chest with a heavy sigh.

"Oh… alright," he said, pretending to pout. Scarlett kissed his lips quickly, giving him a smile.

"I promise I'll make it up to you," she told him with a wink. Spencer furrowed his nose, grinning and pulled her close for another kiss.

"I'm going to hold you to that…" he warned her.

"Guys, come oooonnnn, puh leeeze!" Norie called from behind the door again. Scarlett could imagine her bouncing on her feet. "There are presents out heeeerrrreee!" the younger girl whined with a giggle.

Spencer laughed. "We are moving, Nors- just hang on… it takes us old people a little while to get going…" he teased.

"Ha! Speak for yourself!" Scarlett demanded, swatting at his butt as she jumped out of bed. "I'll give ya, old!" she snorted, playing with him.

She pulled on a pair of pajama bottoms and one of his t-shirts, shoving her feet into a pair of slippers. She headed into the bathroom, before he even got out of bed.

"Give me a sec to brush my teeth, Norie, then I'll be out," she told the girl. "Then we'll just be waiting on the old man," she teased, sticking her tongue out at Reid as she closed the bathroom door.

Spencer grinned, pulling some clothes out and getting dressed while she was finishing in the other room. He started making the bed, spotting the leather braid still sitting on her pillow. He picked it up, considering where to place it.

Scarlett watched him from the doorway as he looped the binder over one of the posts on the bed, securing it there. He noticed her and caught her eyes.

"Is this okay?" he asked, unsure as to what was protocol for the situation.

She tilted her head, grinning at him.

"Sure," she said hiding a giggle. "It kinda gives the impression we are into bondage…" she teased, giving him a shrug, seeing his face turn red. "But… that's fine…"

She continued teasing him as he headed into the bathroom.

"Of course, I've considered it… I mean, the four poster bed would be perfect…" she stood in the door, waiting on him as he brushed his teeth.

When Spencer came out of the bathroom, he was biting his lips together, still blushing hotly.

"Stop…" he told her, meeting her eyes. She could see a hint of lust burning there and gave him a wicked grin. He headed over to the bed, took the ends of the strap and turned it so it was hidden better behind the post.

Scarlett laughed loudly, moving over to take his hand.

"Come on sweetheart… worry about it later, Norie's waiting impatiently…" she shook her head at him.

Spencer took another look at the post, making sure the binding wasn't that noticeable. He flipped the covers back over the bed and followed along as Scarlett tugged at his hand.

Norie was in the living room, sitting in front of the tree on her knees, pulling the gifts out and separating them into piles. Cleo was settled on the couch watching over the little girl as she moved the boxes around while Walter was playing with the ribbons on one of the presents.

Scarlett watched the little gray puff ball wiggle his butt to pounce at the tree and she stepped over Norie to grab him in mid-leap.

"Ho, no, fuzzbutt…" Scarlett told the kitten as she held him to her chest. "No tree," she warned him, setting him down on the couch with his mother.

Spencer laughed as the kitten rolled off the cushion and headed right back for the tree. He picked him up this time, tucking the kitten under his chin. Walter settled against him, rubbing against Reid's neck.

"Okay, Sissy, pick one!" Noreen looked over to Scarlett, indicating a small pile of gifts.

Scarlett smiled at her excitement. "You choose one, sweetheart," she told the girl as she moved to sit on the floor next to Norie. "I want to see you open some of yours."

Spencer dropped down next to them, picking up one of the boxes, handing it to Norie. Walter scrambled against his chest, trying to follow the ribbons on the gift as it passed him. Spencer released the kitten, chuckling as he attacked the bow.

"Here Norie, open this one first," he told the girl. "If Walter will let you," he added as the gray blur scratched at the package.

Norie laughed, removing the ribbon and tossing it to the kitten. He rolled over it, scuttling off the carpet and across the hardwood floor, giving chase.

"The kitties are going to be my favorite present ever, no matter what…" she told them, opening the box. "I just wanted you to know," she said with a smile.

Scarlett pressed a kiss to the girl's forehead. "I'm glad," she told her, adding a quick hug. "Merry Christmas little sister," Scarlett smiled into the excited eyes. "I love you, baby…"

Norie hugged her back. "I love you too Sissy," she told her. Turning her gaze to Spencer, she leaned over toward him.

"I love you too, Spence," she told him.

Reid reached over and hugged the little girl. "And I love you too, Norie," he said, kissing her hair.

Norie pulled the wrapping paper from the box and lifted the lid. Inside, she found a magazine and a membership card for the Smithsonian Museum. She looked up at Reid.

"I signed you up for the membership," he told her. "You'll get the magazine every month, and when you log on to the website, you can see what is being featured at each location. When you know something is coming up that you want to see, we can make a plan to go…" he explained.

"Even the one in New York? We can go to New York?" Norie asked.

"Sure," Spencer shrugged. "We can take the train, make a day of it…" he said easily. He wasn't prepared when Norie launched herself into his arms, knocking him over.

"Oooof…" The air rushed out of his lungs as she landed on him.

"I love it! I love it…" she grinned, looking down into his reddened face. "Thank you! I can't wait to go!"

Spencer grunted as he righted himself, pulling her up beside him. "Good, then… it'll be our plan for your next break from school," he told her, giving her a one armed hug.

Scarlett smiled as she watched the both of them together. She rubbed the heel of her hand against her chest, over her heart, at the ache that formed there. Taking a deep breath, she centered herself. She picked another gift out, handing it to Norie.

"Here, sweetie," she grinned. "Mine next…" she told her.

Norie unwrapped the present to see a leather bound journal. She smiled at Scarlett as she looked over the book.

"It's beautiful," she stated, running her fingers along the scrolled designs that were embossed in the leather. Her name was written into the spine in calligraphy.

"It's handmade… a friend of Aunt Penny's makes them. Even the paper is hand made," Scarlett told her, opening the cover. "I wrote something for you inside…" she showed her sister the words hand written in the front cover.

'_Hope when you take that jump, You don't fear the fall… Hope when the water rises, You build a wall… Hope when the crowd screams out, They're screaming your name! Hope if everybody runs, You choose to stay. _

_Hope that you fall in love, And it hurts so bad… The only way you can know, Is give it all you have… And I hope that you don't suffer, But take the pain, Hope when the moment comes You'll say..._

_I, I did it all I, I did it all!_

_I owned every second, That this world could give! I saw so many places, The things that I did! Yeah, with every broken bone…_

_I swear I lived…_

_Hope that you spend your days, But they all add up… And when that sun goes down, Hope you raise your cup! I wish that I could witness, All your joy, and all your pain! But until my moment comes I'll say..._

_I, I did it all I, I did it all!_

_I owned every second, That this world could give! I saw so many places, The things that I did! Yeah, with every broken bone…_

_I swear I lived…_

_Yeah, with every broken bone_

_I swear I lived…_

_Yeah, with every broken bone_

_I swear I lived…'_

Scarlett watched as Norie read the words. "It's the lyrics to a song…" she explained.

"OneRepublic, 'I Lived'…" the girl nodded. "I've heard it," she said quietly, looking up at her sister. "I like the song…"

"I think of you, when I hear it," Scarlett explained. "I want you to be able to add your own stories to the book… your thoughts, poems, dreams, drawings… whatever you want," she told her.

Norie ran her hand over the pages again. "It's beautiful," she repeated. "I don't know what to say…" she turned a tearful gaze back to meet Scarlett's eyes. "The song… everything…"

She stopped talking, instead moving over to wrap Scarlett into a hug. "I love you, Scarlett. I'm just so… happy," she held her sister tighter, kissed her cheek and laid her head against her shoulder. "I'm so happy that I have a big sister…"

Scarlett kissed her head, returning the hug. "And I'm so happy I have a little sister," she told her, breathing in the girl's scent.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Reid moved back, heading into the kitchen to make some coffee, letting the two have a few moments together alone. He looked up after completing the task, hearing Scarlett's footsteps behind him.

Scarlett wrapped her arms around Spencer's waist, laying her cheek against his back. "Coffee smells like heaven…" she told him, pressing her lips between his shoulder blades. "Can you spare a cup?" she teased.

"I think so," he laughed, pouring her a mug. He turned away from the counter, taking her in his arms. When she snuggled up against his chest, he placed a kiss to her forehead.

"You worry too much," he told her softly, noticing the wrinkles that lined her features.

"_I_ worry too much?" she raised a brow to him. "That's different…"

Spencer shrugged, turning back to the coffee, dumping excessive amounts of sugar into his mug. Scarlett made a face.

"You were worried that Norie wouldn't like the book," he mentioned.

"Is that so?" she asked, taking her coffee and drinking it black this morning. "And what makes you think that, _Dr_. Reid…" she spoke levelly, bringing his eyes back to hers.

"Uh-oh," he muttered, recognizing her tone.

"Oh, no, please… continue," she set her mug down, scooting up to sit on the countertop beside him. "I would love to hear how you developed your hypothesis," she mocked him.

Spencer blew out a breath.

"Scarlett," he matched her tone. "I can't help what I do… I like to break things apart, see how the work," he told her honestly.

"Except, _Reid_," she empathized his last name, getting annoyed, "I'm not a 'thing' you can break apart… and I don't want to be profiled or analyzed," she warned him.

"I'm not… I didn't…" he stopped, pressing his lips together tightly, realizing he was doing just that.

"Oh," he said softly.

"Right…" Scarlett nodded, "'Oh'…" she grinned, relieved that he could finally understand what he'd been doing.

"So, if you think maybe something is bothering me, Spencer, how about you ask me about it… instead of trying to figure it out on your own or watching my habits and tells?" she asked him.

"Umm, right," he moved his eyes from hers. "I didn't mean to…"

Scarlett took his hand, tugging him to stand between her legs. "I know you didn't 'mean to', farm boy," she told him. "That's why I've kept my cool," she teased. "But it is starting to push my buttons a little, so we are having a civil conversation, instead of an explosion…" she grinned.

"See, I'm learning too," she laughed, kissing his cheek.

Reid looked down at her, seeing her smile and felt relieved. "Okay, so we are both still learning," he nudged her with his nose, kissing her quickly.

"It's always going to be an on-going process," she agreed, reaching up to loop her arms over his neck. "You still up for the challenge?" she asked.

"Never dreamed of changing my mind, darling," he told her. "You?"

"I thrive on challenges," she reminded him with a wink.

"Okay… so," Spencer tried to think about how he wanted to word his next question. "Why did you seem nervous about giving Norie her present?" he asked.

Scarlett bit the inside of her cheek. "A little better," she gave him a grin. "Next time a simple, 'What's on your mind?' will do…" she told him.

She scooted over, reaching for her mug. "I wasn't worried about giving Norie the book. I hoped she'd understand the importance that I put on the words, what they mean to me… but I wasn't worried. It's mostly for her feelings and thoughts," she told him as she jumped off the counter, taking his hand and pulling him back into the living room.

"Now, if I were to be 'nervous' about anything, it would be about a book that had _my_ thoughts and _my_ feelings entrenched in it," she told him, directing him towards the couch. She knelt down at the side, reaching over for another package and handed it to him.

Spencer took the gift, looking down at the black cover that was tied off with a white silk bow. He raised his eyes at her quizzically, recognizing it as the journal she had been carrying around for almost a year.

"See, if I was going to be nervous, it would be because I had put my all into one place- and then handed it off for someone else to read," she told him shyly.

"Oh," he responded quietly, running his hand along the spine.

Scarlett smiled. "You are saying that a lot this morning, boy," she said, covering his hands as he started to open the book.

"Later, please…" she asked him, looking up into his eyes.

"I started it after Mama's birthday party- she was the one who suggested it," she explained. "Everything that I've felt; my quiet thoughts, the pictures in my head… songs, poems… all the things that made me think of you. Since you remember what you read, Spence- I hope you'll read it and remember how much you mean to me…"

Reid fingers itched to open the cover and start reading the journal. He held himself back only because of her request.

"Can I at least take a peek?" he grinned down into her eyes. She laughed.

"You 'peek' and you'll have it read from start to finish before I turn around," she teased.

"One of the benefits of having _my_ mind," he joked back, kissing her lightly. "But I don't want to read it fast…"

Scarlett nodded, understanding. "Fine," she told him. "A quick peek, then…"

He pulled the ribbon from the book, opening it. The spine opened easily, showing it was well used. Flipping through the pages, he saw the words move through his head, catching his attention just as the pictures did.

"You draw?" he asked, seeing some of the pages come to life before him.

Scarlett shrugged. "Apparently, if the spirit moves me," she said, slightly embarrassed. "I doodle when I can't find words…"

Spencer furrowed his brow, looking at a picture of himself. The highlights and low lights of the sun hitting his face in the drawing made him remember the warmth, it was so lifelike…

Scarlett looked over to see what had caught his attention. "That's what your face looked like in the mirror of the bike, the time we rode over to go shopping," she told him. He nodded, remembering the moment that she'd frozen on the paper.

Turning the page, she pulled out the photograph of the selfie they'd taken the same day that she had included in the book, and then showed him the drawing of him sitting under the tree where they ate lunch. The drawings were all from her perspective, how she saw the world and it amazed him…

"You call this 'doodling'?" he asked with awe in his voice, looking between the images. "Why don't you draw more?"

Scarlett closed the book, catching his eyes. "Because it's private," she told him. "And subjective; I can't draw just _anything_. I can only draw when I lose words. Does that make any sense?" she asked.

"I guess?" Spencer said, looking down into her face. "It doesn't have to make sense though, Scarlett," he told her, shaking his head. "Not to me or anyone else. It only needs to make sense to you…"

Reid shifted forward, pulling her up closer. "Thank you…" he said quietly, kissing her. "I can't tell you how much this means…"

Scarlett wrapped her arms around his neck, letting him pull her up across his lap. She snuggled into his chest, placing a kiss against his throat.

"I love you Spence," she told him quietly.

"As I love you, Katy," he stated, pressing a kiss to her temple. He pulled back, looking down into her face.

"Can you open mine now?" he asked with a boyish grin. Scarlett laughed.

"Of course, farm boy…"

Spencer moved over to where he'd stashed his gift bag and handed it to Scarlett. She pulled a book from the bag, her voice lost as she unwrapped it from the tissue paper. Opening the front cover, she could feel tears threatening to overwhelm her.

"Spence…" she spoke softly when the tightness in her chest allowed. "Where did you possibly find this?" she asked.

"Uh, well… my mother actually helped," he blushed slightly. "She still has some connections in the book world," he told her. "She pointed me in the right direction, and I made some phone calls…" he said, making the process sound easier than it actually had been.

"You told me once that your mom had an original copy of Gone with the Wind, signed by Margaret Mitchell. I just figured something with value like that hadn't been shoved off in a box somewhere- so I followed the trail…"

Scarlett opened the back cover to where she knew she'd find her mother's signature tucked in the back corner. There wasn't any doubt in her mind the moment that she held the book that it was her mom's- she just wanted to see her handwriting. As her eyes followed the lines, retracing her name, she felt the tears spill over.

"I can hear her voice, reading it to me," she told him as she closed the book, holding it against her chest. "You have no idea what this means to me, Spencer."

Scarlett moved closer to him, leaning into his shoulder. Reid wiped at her tears, tucking her in under his arm.

"I wanted to give you back something of hers. I wasn't sure I could do it…" he told her.

Scarlett closed her eyes, tucking her face against his neck. "I don't believe there is anything you can't do, Spencer Reid," she responded, holding him tight.

He started to argue against that statement, but stopped, realizing she was just complimenting him, speaking in the moment, and that he shouldn't take her words literally. He let out a breath and sighed.

Scarlett smiled softly, having felt him tense up then relax.

They would both continue to learn…


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Norie watched her sister move around the kitchen as she made breakfast. Every movement was efficient, not a step wasted in the process. Even as she flipped the skillet that held the sausage, the movement was between others, to streamline it. It was fascinating her. Scarlett took another egg, breaking it into the pan.

"Okay… you are going to have to stop that, little one…" she warned the girl. "You are starting to make me edgy. And edgy Scarlett turns into bitchy Scarlett- and I don't want to be bitchy with you, baby girl…"

Norie met Scarlett's eyes, seeing the temper tamped in them.

"What am I doing?" Norie asked, clearly confused. Scarlett let out a tense breath, scanning her memory, making sure she hadn't imagined the last half hour.

Norie continued watching Scarlett, saw her eyes go out of focus, close, then back open and clear.

"This!" Scarlett pointed to her eyes then to Norie's and back. "You are watching me so hard sweetie, it's like I can feel you burning into my brain…" she stated, the tension making her snappy.

Spencer entered the kitchen, hearing the last bit of the conversation and the singe in Scarlett's voice.

"Noreen," he pulled the girl, who was still staring openly at Scarlett, away from the stove. "Why don't we go round up the kitten…" he suggested.

Norie pouted a bit. "I was helping Sissy," she told him. "Besides, Walter is sleeping. He sleeps a lot," she told Spencer as he pulled her out of the kitchen.

"He sleeps a lot, because he's a growing cat… there is so much going on in his little body right now… would you like to learn about that?" he asked, changing her mind away from Scarlett.

Spencer moved through his books, pulling down one on of his physiology texts. It was a college level book and he looked down into the girl's eyes as he handed it over.

"Start reading this," he told her. "If you have questions, ask me… Alright?"

"I usually look them up on the computer," she stated, scanning through the first then second pages within seconds. "But, yes, I will ask you…" she said, turning another page. She looked up at him quickly, in-between pages.

"Why is Sissy mad at me?" the little girl asked him, hurt in her eyes.

Spencer knelt down by the girl for a moment. Cleo left her spot on the chair and moved up beside him to curl up next to Norie.

"Good girl," he told the cat, scratching her head. He looked into Norie's eyes.

"She's not mad at you, sweetie," Spencer sighed, thinking about how to select his next words.

"Noreen- you and I, we see things a little differently than other people. We want to understand- and that make us watch things a little closer than what someone else might think of as 'normal'. So when we watch close, trying to learn, someone else may feel like they are being scrutinized or even critiqued, if they are sensitive…"

Norie scrunched up her face. "Scarlett is sensitive?"

"A little bit, yeah…" he told her. "It doesn't mean we can't watch her… it's just that, we have to make it a little less obvious. Not just with Scarlett, because you'll find other people get nervous about it too- especially if they don't know you, and don't understand how our minds work. I've had to learn to adjust myself… and sometimes I still have to adjust," he leaned forward and gave the girl a light kiss on her forehead.

"You'll learn," he told her. "In the meantime, you don't need to worry that Scarlett is mad at you. She's not mad, she's 'twitchy'. There's a difference…"

Norie nodded. "Twitchy is the same as edgy… Edgy Scarlett leads to bitchy Scarlett…" she repeated her sister's earlier warning.

He grinned slightly. "Yeah… that's sort of it…" he agreed. Norie gave him a grin.

"Bitchy Scarlett is kind of annoying," she whispered secretively.

"Hush," he chuckled. "She thinks she's scary… because if she's scary enough, people will leave her alone… "

"She wants to be left alone?" Norie asked confusion in her voice.

"Sometimes, rather than being scrutinized, yes," he responded. "Sometimes it's just her defense mechanism. It's easier for her to build a wall, rather than deal with people's questions. So she acts tough or scary to push people away…"

Norie thought about that for a moment. "Well, I don't care how big of a wall she builds," she stated. "She can't keep me out…"

Reid nodded, understanding the girl's feelings as his own. "I know, little one… but sometimes we have to back off a little, so she thinks the walls are there. For her own peace of mind…" he stated, hoping that she would understand.

Norie tilted her head, studying Spencer. "I get it," she grinned. "It'll be our secret, then… that we can see through her walls…"

Spencer ruffled her hair. "There you go," he agreed.

Norie turned her attention back to Cleo, petting the cat as it curled under her arm. "I'm going to learn everything I can to help Walter grow up to be a good cat, like his momma…" she said, her mind already switching directions. She gave Reid a quick smile before opening the book on her lap. He watched her for a few more minutes as she scanned the pages, estimating she was reading close to thirteen thousand words per minute.

"Spencer?" she said his name softly, never picking her head up from the pages.

"What?" he asked, still watching her.

"You are making me twitchy…" she grinned.

He laughed as he stood back up from the floor. "Okay, okay… geez- I get that from the both of you now?" he teased as Norie giggled.

Spencer blew out a stressed breath as he headed back into the kitchen, hoping Scarlett was in a better mood. She was adding ingredients to the omelets when she heard his footsteps behind her.

"She didn't mean to be 'studying' me," Scarlett spoke without turning around. "I know that, Spence. I just felt the bitchiness coming on, regardless, and I didn't want to take it out on her. I couldn't make her even see what she was doing," she pouted.

"I know…" he leaned over her shoulder, moving his arms around her waist lightly. He saw the frustration in her eyes. Scarlett sighed, leaning back against him.

"Thank you for distracting her…" she said as she relaxed a little.

"Mmm-hmm," he mumbled, lifting her hair and nibbling at her neck.

"And now you are trying to distract me…" she laughed.

"Is it working?" he teased, moving up to her ear.

"Maybe," she told him, turning in his arms to face him. "Or maybe I need more of a distraction," she said as she kissed his lips, running her fingers through his hair and tugging him closer.

"I think I can help with that," he responded, nipping at her jaw and then back to her lips.

Scarlett held him closer, letting his lips take away her tension. She broke off the kiss suddenly as she smelled the eggs starting to scorch.

"Uh-oh, too much distraction," Spencer laughed, taking the pan from the heat. "They didn't burn," he told her, setting it down on the other side of the stovetop.

"So, where were we?" he asked, moving back to her lips again.

Scarlett chuckled, taking a few more kisses. "Alright, farm boy, move along… we have to eat sometime today…"

Spencer grinned, leaning back against the counter. He watched as Scarlett continued making breakfast, poured a cup of coffee and started loading the dishwasher within several quick movements. The sun was streaming in through the window, catching her in its light. He stared at her over his coffee, watching how the light played through the threadbare t-shirt of his that she loved to wear; emphasizing the fact she had nothing on underneath it…

She picked her head up, looking over at Spencer when she felt his eyes on her. She arched a brow at him.

"Are you seriously watching me, Reid?" she asked, feeling a bit harassed.

Spencer rolled his eyes. "Yes, I am…" he grinned at her. "But in my defense, I am a guy…" he told her, tugging at the shirt, showing her how translucent it was in the sun.

Scarlett scowled slightly, looking through the fabric. Catching his eyes, she gave him a twisted grin.

"Hmm, well, then… that's acceptable as an excuse," she pouted slightly. "And I need a different shirt…"

Spencer tugged the end of the shirt, angling his head for another look, as she tried to move past. Scarlett laughed and pushed against his chest.

"Knock it off, farm boy… and watch breakfast," she told him as she heading into the bedroom to change.

He grinned as he moved over to finish cooking, his mind full of images. Reid noticed Norie as she entered the kitchen, setting the text book down on the table.

"I finished this one," she told him, taking some dishes from the cupboard and setting the table. "I'm hungry. Do you have any texts that are specifically on cats? When are we leaving for Chicago? Who will watch Walter and Cleo while we are gone? Can I eat now? I thought Uncle Derek and Aunt Penny were coming over?" she rattled off her questions as she sat down for breakfast.

Scarlett came up behind her, running a hand down her hair.

"If Spencer doesn't have any, you can use my iPad to download any book you might want… We are heading out tomorrow morning, seven sharp, so be ready. We are only going to be gone for two days, but I've asked Aunt JJ to check on the cats, although I'll feed them extra- I'm sure they'll be fine on their own for only that long… Of course you can eat, silly girl… and Uncle D called me about ten minutes ago, saying they were on their way," she answered Norie's questions in quick succession.

"Yay!" Norie giggled, transferring some of the eggs to her plate. "I'm going to text Aunt JJ later, to thank her anyway. I know you guys won't be gone long, but I get sad thinking of the cats not having playtime…"

"They'll have plenty of play time, I promise," Scarlett grinned at Spencer as he sat beside them. "Aunt JJ will probably have Henry with her…"

"Can they stop over today? I want to see Henry…" Norie said excitedly.

Spencer laughed. "I was talking to JJ earlier," he told them. "They are going out this morning, but she said they'd make time to stop by sometime today… I have Henry's gift, and wanted to make sure I gave it to him before we left."

Scarlett nodded, remembering how she'd helped him pick out the present for his godson. He'd decided on a large building set, age appropriate, in the end, after she'd convinced him that the chemistry center probably wouldn't be a good idea for a four year old…

"Maybe everyone could stay for dinner? I'll help make it… I'm a good cook; I help mama all the time…" Norie asked, looking a Scarlett.

She smiled at her sister. "We can ask JJ and Will, but I expect they probably have plans for their own Christmas dinner. Uncle Derek and Aunt Penny will be here, so I'll take you up on your offer to help," she winked.

"Just, don't hurt yourselves," Spencer worried. "The two of you tend to be absentminded when you are in the kitchen…"

The two girls gave him a glare.

"What?" he met their look with one of his own. "Is it not the truth?" he grinned as he took both of their hands with his and turned them over, showing the matching set of healed burns.

Scarlett pulled her hand back and laughed. "I promise, we'll be careful," she answered, winking at Norie.

"We'll try extra hard," Norie agreed, turning her attention back to her breakfast.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Scarlett stood at the window, looking back into the living room, watching her family gathered there.

Derek sat with Spencer and Will in the middle of the floor, putting together a construction of Henry's design. Norie sat beside the little boy, handing him pieces from the box. Once the building was high enough, Henry would pull one of the blocks from the bottom, causing the whole works to crash into itself. Scarlett laughed as the boy clapped his hands together and giggled hysterically.

JJ poured two glasses of wine and joined Scarlett's side, handing her one. She looked over the scene, laughing as Henry handed pieces back to Derek to begin rebuilding.

"My son, the weapon of mass destruction," she joked, leaning back against the window. "I'm so proud…"

Scarlett raised her glass to JJ. "To our crazy families," she laughed.

"Salute," JJ agreed.

Scarlett joined her friend on the window seat. "I'm glad you had a chance to stop by- I know it means a lot to Spencer too," she told her.

"We wouldn't have missed this…" JJ laughed as Henry collapsed another building. She met Scarlett's eyes, nudging a shoulder against her friend.

"You've got that look in your eyes," she told Scarlett. "I recognize it, so you might as well talk to someone about it," JJ grinned.

Scarlett schooled her features into a mask. "What look?" she asked.

JJ raised an eyebrow at her friend. "Hmm. Maybe I was wrong then," she said mildly. She watched as Scarlett averted her eyes, taking a sip of wine.

"I thought you had that 'a baby is all that's missing from this picture' look on your face," JJ said slyly.

Scarlett's face reddened slightly. "I didn't realize it was quite that obvious," she admitted. "But I can't seem to stop the pictures from playing through my head…"

JJ nodded, understanding. "Don't worry… It's probably only obvious to me because I've been having the same thoughts," she grinned at Scarlett. "Will and I have been talking about giving Henry a baby brother or sister…"

Scarlett beamed. "That sounds wonderful, Jays…" she said as she reached over and wrapped an arm around her friend. "You two are such wonderful parents… and you make beautiful babies," she told her, looking back over at Henry as he crawled across Will to get to Spencer's side.

"Yeah, we kinda do, don't we?" JJ giggled, looking down at Scarlett. "Don't mention anything yet, though," she told her. "We are still in the thinking stages…"

Scarlett nodded. "My lips are sealed," she promised. "And I am going to side line my 'baby' thoughts with plans for a wedding. We set the date…"

"Oh, that's so great!" JJ hugged Scarlett. "When did you decide for it?" she asked.

"Halloween… Samhain," Scarlett answered. "We are going to have everyone come to Vegas, so save the date," she grinned.

"I will be sure to block that whole week…" JJ told her. "Nothing is allowed to interfere with my baby brother's wedding," she stated, nodding her head.

Scarlett smiled. "That's how you see him? As your younger brother?" she asked.

JJ looked across the room towards where Spencer was making Henry laugh by 'disappearing' some of the blocks and pulling them from out of behind the boy's ear.

"Yes," she responded with a soft smile. "It's not like you and Morgan- Spence and I didn't grow up together… but I've always felt like he was a part of me," she told Scarlett.

"Does that make any sense?" JJ laughed, meeting Scarlett's eyes.

"To me? It makes sense, completely…" Scarlett nodded, reaching over to take JJ's hand. "To me… it means you are my sister…" she told her friend.

JJ squeezed Scarlett's hand. "Good," she said, taking a sip of her wine. She smiled over the glass at Scarlett.

"Then we are on the same page," she grinned.

Scarlett patted JJ's hand, reaching for her own wine. "So that means when your 'thinking' stage is over, you promise to tell me first when I'm going to be an Auntie… agreed?" she teased.

JJ laughed. "Agreed… and ditto…" she said, ringing her glass on Scarlett's.

"Agreed…" Scarlett winked. She stood up from the window seat, looking around once again.

"But for now… it's time to start dinner," she told her friend as she moved off towards the kitchen. "Do you have any plans?" she asked, motioning for JJ to follow her.

"We were planning on a family dinner," Jennifer told her. "Just us…"

Scarlett nodded. "That's always good… but if you and Will don't mind a bit of chaos, you guys could stay and have a bigger family dinner? If you want- my feelings won't be hurt if you prefer the quiet home one," she laughed. "God knows none of us get enough of that, either."

JJ looked back at where Will was now sprawled out beside Henry, alternating between watching his son and watching the TV.

"I'll check with Will… but if that sight isn't proof he's comfortable right where he is, I don't know what would be…" she laughed.

"There ya go," Scarlett agreed, watching Spencer blow onto Henry's belly, tickling him. The boy giggled in his childish laugh and the sound carried through the living room. Norie reached over, wrapping Henry in her arms.

"I'll protect you from the tickle monster!" she told the boy, hugging him in her embrace.

Spencer made tickling motions with his hands and Henry lifted his shirt, exposing his belly for more 'zerberts'. As his godfather would lean in to do it again, the boy would cover his belly, and run away laughing.

"I'm going to get you!" Spencer chased him around the couch. "Gimme that belly!" he teased. Henry was giggling so hard his face was turning pink.

JJ and Scarlett looked away from them, back to each other.

"Yeah, he definitely needs to be a father…" JJ said with a grin. She wrapped an arm over Scarlett's shoulders.

"I couldn't agree more…" Scarlett sighed, leaning her head against JJ's. "Now I just need the right timing."

"Ah, don't wait for that, Katy- I'll be the first to tell you, it will never ever come…" JJ gave her a quick hug and moved to help in the kitchen.

Scarlett handed her some potatoes to peel and started on her own pile. As she concentrated at the task, she continued asking JJ for some insight.

"So how do you and Will do it?" she asked. "I just can't wrap my head around how we can have a family- a baby yet- and still be able to work the job…"

"Very good nannies," JJ shrugged. "Surround yourself in people you trust. Learn to trust…" she added with a grin. "That was a hard one for me…"

"I can't say it would be easy for me either," Scarlett nodded in understanding. "If you haven't noticed, I'm quite anal about handling everything on my own…"

JJ laughed. "Just a little," she agreed with a wink. "But I won't tell anyone…"

Scarlett pursed her lips and blew JJ a kiss. "Yeah, thanks for that," she grinned.

"Seriously, though- it's the only thing that holds me back. The job, I mean- I can't imagine how hard it must be to go out in the field and trust someone else to take care of your family," Scarlett groused.

"I feel like I need to be twins. I don't even like leaving Norie- and my _mother_ is raising her… and she's twelve, plus she's been through more than the average kid, so she's very mature, in some aspects…" Scarlett rattled away, letting her thoughts flow as she scraped the skins off the potatoes.

"But a baby… and then knowing what we know is out there, seeing what we see? I can't fathom doing anything except keeping him in a bubble, while I stand outside and protect the bubble…"

JJ watched and listened for a little bit, and then simply took Scarlett's hands, stilling them.

"You are over-thinking this…" she took the knife from Scarlett, indicating the shreds of potato now covering the sink. "… way too much," she told her friend as she pointed out the obvious.

"Sometimes, Scarlett, you just have to trust… yourself, your husband, your team, or even your nanny. And then just let it happen. Don't be so worried about controlling life that you forget to live it. We only get here once…"

Scarlett looked at the small piece of potato that was left in her hand. She'd destroyed two and was working on the third before JJ had brought it to her attention.

JJ closed her hand over Scarlett's. "I'm going to ask Will about staying for dinner. Give you a minute to think. It's not all bad, Scarlett. Life is good. Look at us. Look at your home, right now. Would you change anything right at this moment? I promise you, whenever you two do have kids, you'll never change a thing. Every moment is a blessing," she said softly, nudging Scarlett's shoulder.

"Besides, you said 'him'," she teased. When Scarlett looked at her questioningly, JJ smiled.

"Your subconscious must be doing much more thinking on this than you realized," she pointed out. "You said 'keeping _him_ in a bubble', which tells me you are already imagining a son…"

Scarlett opened her mouth and closed it again, pressing her lips together. She blew out a stressed breath, moving the hair off her forehead. She met JJ's eyes.

"You know, you are getting to be way too good at profiling," Scarlett told her friend. JJ grinned.

"Thanks!" she smiled and headed out of the kitchen.

"It wasn't meant as a compliment…" Scarlett said snarkily.

"I know," JJ sang back with a smile.

Scarlett shook her head and laughed.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Scarlett looked around at the interior of the building that Penelope had dragged her into this morning. She was already tired after only seeing two venues here in Chicago, and a bit irritated.

"Pens, really- I don't have time for this right now…" she told her friend, trying to be diplomatic. "I know you have all these ideas in your head for a wedding, and I'm sure my sisters will be more than happy to offer their input… but…"

Penelope scrunched up her face. "Just a few minutes more, please, Scarlett?" she begged. "I want to help you pick out the most perfect place for your wedding…"

Scarlett rolled her eyes. "I told you, the trappings don't matter much to me. As long as Reid is waiting for me at the end, the rest you and the girls can have fun with…"

Garcia beamed. "Well, I'm glad you feel that way… and don't kill the messenger…"

"Messenger?" she ground out, knowing something was up. "Messenger for what?"

Penelope opened a side room door, leading Scarlett inside. Norie stood along the one wall, Sarah and Desi alongside her. They turned as she entered the room.

"What did you do?" Scarlett's eyes widened, looking over at Penny.

"No, no- not me, not this time… I kept my promise!" she swore, crossing her heart. "This is all on your sister…" Penelope giggled. "I guess calling her 'mini-me' wasn't really a stretch," she teased, giving Norie a wink and a kiss on the cheek as she moved to stand beside her.

Scarlett frowned slightly. "Okay, so what is this then? A wedding intervention?" she asked, reaching over to tug Norie's hair.

Norie grinned. "I guess you could call it that…" she shrugged. "I thought Mama's feeling may have been hurt if she was left out… and I knew you didn't want that- but you didn't want to wait, and that was my fault, sort of, because of the adoption papers… and I thought maybe, with some help, I could pull this off, after all I had a week to plan… so anyway- here we are…"

Scarlett looked stunned. "Here we are, where?" she asked.

Sarah smiled softly. "We know about you and Spencer eloping. Norie filled us all in. And then she conspired with everyone, behind your back, to pull this off for you and him…"

Scarlett's eyes widened. "Seriously?"

Desi grinned. "Right down to the wedding dress, if you don't mind it being your 'something borrowed'," she said, pulling out her own dress from behind the chair.

Scarlett turned to Norie. "You planned out a wedding. For us. In a week…?" she said in shock.

Norie nodded, biting her lip. "I had a lot of help… especially from Uncle Dave," she blushed. "He has a lot of connections here in Chicago…"

"Rossi? Is everyone here? Really?" she looked at her sisters, amazed.

Penelope reached over and hugged Scarlett. "Everyone- including Reid's mom," Pens smiled. "Norie called her herself, explaining everything, and helped her fly in…"

Scarlett shook her head. "I just can't… process all this… I don't even know what to say!" she looked at Norie.

"Why? You didn't have to do all this, sweetie. Spencer and I where fine with the plans…"

Norie met her eyes. "I know you were- but you should have everyone you love beside you at your wedding, not be worried that someone's feelings would be hurt… so…"

"So, you pulled this off," Scarlett looked around.

"Yeah, well… lots of help…" Norie said again. "And I'm adopting Uncle Dave as my god father, just so you know…" she grinned.

Scarlett laughed. "I think I will too," she said looking around again. "I'm guessing this place was his doing?"

"Yes, he knows the owner… they gave us the use of the rooms for the ceremony and the reception. And we can stay until midnight, so it'll be a New Year's party, too," Desi told her. "He's really a dream planner- I didn't even really get a chance to sink my teeth into anything," she laughed.

"Oh, I am sure you found something to plan out for this," Scarlett teased.

"She took over the flowers and decorating," Sarah rolled her eyes. "Take a look…" she said, pushing Scarlett towards the door to look into the room next to them. They heard her drag in a shocked breath.

The space was decorated in cream and rose colors, including the calla lilies that adorned the walkway. At the end of the short aisle was a podium draped in lace. Scarlett felt her heart hitch as she gazed at it.

Norie moved closer, looking up at her. "So, you aren't mad?"

Scarlett shook her head, laughing. "Mad? I can't believe this, all of this…" she said, pulling Norie into her arms. "It feels like a dream… I'm not mad, sweetie- not at all. I'm in shock!"

"You did all this, just for us… for me… I can't believe it!" she said, hugging her sister tight.

Scarlett looked over at her other sisters and Penelope. "All of you, I can't begin to tell you what it means to have you all here… It makes the day so much more special…" she told them, as she felt her eyes begin tearing up.

Desi wiped at her own eyes. "Okay, then- let's get this party in started!" she nodded, resuming her position as planner and fighting against the emotional breakdown.

"We've still got to get you dressed," Sarah agreed, grabbing a tissue for herself. "And Penny… since we kept her as your bridesmaid…" she winked. "I'm on hair and make up duty…"

"Oh, as if you could have stopped me!" Penny rolled her eyes. Scarlett laughed.

"Alright then, let's get this rolling," Scarlett agreed, following her sisters into the dressing room.

"Mama will be along shortly," Norie told Scarlett as she moved over towards the dressing table. She met her eyes in the mirror.

"She helped me make it so Spencer's mom could be here. She flew out to Las Vegas to meet her and come back with her, since Mrs. Reid wasn't too keen on flying. Mama said bonded with her about me," she grinned. "She said she is calling me her 'instant granddaughter'," Norie laughed.

"Oh, my…" Scarlett pressed her fingers to her temples. "I hadn't even thought about all that… I'm so glad that she's feeling well enough to make the trip. It will mean so much for Spence, for her to be here."

Norie ran a brush through her hair as she sat beside Scarlett. "She's doing very good, actually," she told her. "Uncle Derek picked them up from the airport this morning and is bringing them here. Spencer's already here, I had to tell him what I was doing- I had to have him in on the plan to make this work…"

"Reid knew about all this?" Scarlett asked, thinking back over the previous week. Bits and pieces of the subterfuge started to come together in her memories.

Norie watched her sister's face. "He knew we were planning the wedding. I didn't mention about bringing in his mother, in case it couldn't happen…"

Scarlett closed her eyes, giving a soft sigh. "I'd love to see Spencer's face when his mom walks in the door…"

Desi winked. "I think we can make that happen," she told her sister.

Scarlett felt the tears threaten again. "Okay, geez, you guys are killing me emotionally today. I hope that eye goo you brought is water proof," she teased Sarah.

"Always," Sarah laughed, hugging her sister close. "After all I had to consider Penny- and she's always emotional," she grinned, handing a tissue to Garcia. Penelope sniffled and grabbed them into a bear hug.

Scarlett gave a teary laugh as she was gathered into their arms.

"I love you guys so much," she told them. "I don't even have words…"

Desi moved back from the group as her phone vibrated. She wiped at her own eyes to read the text that came in.

"Okay girls, time to start getting ready… the moms are here," she smiled.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Scarlett ran into her mother's arms as Frannie entered the room. Fran pulled her into a warm hug, rocking her back and forth. As she pulled back, she gave Scarlett a gentle kick on the butt.

"That's for even thinking of eloping," she grinned, adding a quick smack after.

"And that was for?" Scarlett laughed, looking into her mother's twinkling eyes.

"For not telling me immediately about giving me a granddaughter…" she said, pulling Norie over and kissing her forehead.

"No secrets, Katy Scarlett… ever. That's the deal," she warned her.

Scarlett nodded, looking properly chastised. "I'm sorry Mama, I just didn't know which way to go…"

"No… no excuses. You always go to family…"

"Yes, ma'am," she apologized.

Scarlett took the moment to look over at Diana. "I apologize to you also, Mrs. Reid. I hope you don't hate me too much…"

Diana watched the scene play out before her between mother and daughter with a slight mist in her eyes.

"I'm not mad. Although I do echo your mother's sentiments. No secrets, from here on out. I know I'm not always at my best," she raised a hand to stop Scarlett's argument; "However, I do expect to be kept up to date in the decisions that affect my son's life."

Scarlett was surprised when Diana took her hand.

"I have a daughter in law," the older woman smiled softly. She turned and looked at Norie. "And now a granddaughter…"

Scarlett took Norie's hand and brought her forward to introduce her to Diana.

"This is my half-sister, Noreen Rowan," she said. "Soon to be Noreen Reid," she told Spencer's mother.

Diana moved forward, taking Norie's hands. She seemed to study the girl and Norie shifted nervously.

"I enjoyed speaking with you the other day," Diana said to the girl.

"Thank you," Norie spoke quietly, slightly embarrassed. "I liked talking to you also…"

"I thank you for including me…"

Norie grinned. "I knew it would mean a lot to Spencer," she said honestly. Scarlett rested her arm around Norie's shoulders.

"We have become a family in the very sense of the word, Mrs. Reid," Scarlett explained. "We just thought we'd start the paperwork to make it official, and then have a wedding at a different time. We weren't trying to exclude anyone- I hadn't even told my own mother. I hope you understand…"

"I didn't think something like this would even be possible…" Scarlett grinned down at Norie. "But leave it to this one to pull it off…" she leaned over and kissed Norie's forehead.

Diana looked back at Scarlett and gave her a gentle smile. "I do understand. And I hope you know that I take my role as a grandmother very seriously," she added.

"I expect many visits coming up so I can get to know you, Noreen. Whether it's with your parents or on your own, I'll expect to be seeing you," she told the girl.

Norie smiled at the inclusion. "I'll plan on it," she told Diana, stepping forward to give her a hug. Diana leaned over the little girl and kissed her hair.

Fran looked at her watch and sighed. "Well, I hate to rush anyone, but we still have to get dressed and ready for the ceremony," she told the girls.

Desi nodded. "We've got to see how the dress looks on Scarlett. Hopefully the heels Penelope brought will make up the height so it's not too long on super shrimp," she teased Scarlett.

"I certainly hope so," Penny stated. "They were the tallest I could find…"

They moved through the processes necessary for wedding preparations, taking up most of the morning between laughing, crying and stressing at even intervals.

"Are you ready?" Frannie asked, looking Scarlett over one last time.

The dress fit perfectly, thanks to the bodice being a corset style. The ties made the fit conform to Scarlett's body just fine. The length was taken up with the heels, and Frannie had added a headpiece that she had designed herself just for Scarlett.

The veil lay softly across her hair, slightly covering her face yet still allowing her hairstyle to be seen. Sarah had out done herself there, weaving flowers intricately through the braids she'd worked into her hair.

Scarlett sighed as she saw her mother's eyes fill with tears.

"Mama, we agreed crying time was over…" she teased, patting at Fran's eyes with a tissue.

"I know, I know…" Fran gave a slight smile. "I'm just so happy for you baby girl," she said as she hugged her close.

Scarlett took a deep breath and straightened up. She looked over at her sisters and soon to be mother in law and gave them all a smile.

She heard a knock at the door.

"Everyone decent?" Morgan's voice came from the other side.

"Definitely," Scarlett grinned. "I'm ready…"


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Scarlett stood at the side doors leading into the space set aside for the wedding ceremony. She could see everything from this angle with nobody noticing her. Penelope stood beside her, holding her hand, waiting for the others to be led inside to their seats.

Morgan led in Frannie, followed by Dave with Sarah and Hotch with Desi. Once they were seated, Derek took his spot standing next to Spencer and nodded towards the doors.

Scarlett took Penny's hand as she saw the surprise on Reid's face as Norie entered the room, leading Diana.

"Mom…" Spencer's voice was quiet, surprise etched on his face. He froze for a moment as they made their way down the short aisle, before he stepped forward to meet them.

Frannie stood as they watched Spencer take his mother's hands.

"How did you get here?" he asked. He grabbed her in a hug, holding her tightly.

Scarlett felt the tears fill her eyes once again and quickly dabbed at them with the tissue in her hand.

Norie stood at Diana's side, giving the mother and son their moment. Diana hugged Spencer back, holding him close for a minute before pulling back a bit. She took his face in her hands and looked into his eyes.

"I wouldn't have missed this for the world, baby…" she told him, giving him a light kiss on the cheeks.

Diana moved to wrap an arm around Norie. "My granddaughter helped me make the plans to get here… and your mother in law was kind enough to meet me and fly back with me…" she explained.

Spencer turned to look at Frannie. "Thank you," he mouthed the words to her. Frannie nodded, tears in her own eyes as she accepted his appreciation.

Spencer hugged Diana once more before pulling back and turning to Norie.

"I can't thank you enough, for making this happen…" he told the girl.

Norie looked up at him. "You don't have to thank me," she told him. "We are family. Family belongs together. Especially on special days like this."

Spencer nodded, leaning over to hug her close.

"I love you Norie…" he told her, moving a step back to look at the two of them. "I love you both, so very much…"

Diana smiled at him and took Norie's hand. "We need to sit down so your wife can make her entrance," she told him, reaching up to touch his cheek once more.

"I wish you and Scarlett all the happiness in the world my son," she said quietly as she moved off to take her seat. She stopped briefly to speak with the officiate, handing him a small box. The man nodded, giving Diana's hand a squeeze as she stepped away.

Reid straightened his jacket, looking back at the doors once before moving back to stand beside Morgan. He looked over the small group of witnesses who had gathered to see them married, and felt the love in the room. His family.

The musicians that Rossi had hired changed the song they were quietly playing in the background. The sound of violins filled the space as the main doors opened once again and Penelope entered the room.

She was dressed in a light rose colored dress that was styled quite like Scarlett's wedding dress to compliment it. She held a small bouquet of calla lilies that matched the rose of her dress and cream color of Scarlett's. A small box hat with a tiny veil was Penny's contribution to the outfit, giving it a classic 40's feel.

Spencer felt a lump form in his throat as he watched Scarlett move through the door and enter the room. He took in the moment, holding it into his memories as Scarlett had taught him. From the flowers in her hair, twisted through the intricate braiding, to the cream colored bodice that was accentuated with small pearls across the corset style top. He memorized the line of the dress that flared at her hips and the way it trailed the floor as she walked towards him. He rubbed at the ache that had settled in his chest over his heart.

Scarlett watched Spencer's face, locking the moment into her memory as she saw him rub his heart. She felt the joy and the butterflies that fluttered in her stomach with nervousness. He looked stunning in his tux, the gun metal gray looking classic next to Derek's black and white style. Scarlett saw him touch the vest and saw the chain from his pocket watch she'd given him hanging there. Instinctively, she reached for her locket, touching it also. She took a deep steading breath as she came up to him, taking his hand as he reached out for hers.

Scarlett felt him press three fingers into her hand and she sighed, returning their signal. Spencer met her eyes, seeing the love shining there. They turned together to face the justice of the peace who was performing their ceremony.

The man nodded, smiling at them.

"Welcome, family and friends, to the wedding ceremony of Dr. Spencer Reid and Ms. Katy Scarlett Ryan…" he began.

Scarlett stood still, holding Spencer's hands. She listened to the words of the ageless ceremony that had been spoken over so many couples over the years. The meaning behind the words were no more or less than the ceremony performed by the pagans in the hand-fasting… That two people had chosen to bind themselves to each other. That they promise before man and God to stand together against all odds.

Spencer looked into Scarlett's eyes as the justice asked her the words that would make them man and wife.

"Do you, Katy Scarlett take this man, Spencer Reid, to be your wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward; in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, forsaking all others, for all the days of your life?"

Scarlett looked into Spencer's eyes as she spoke.

"I do."

The judge turned to Reid.

"And do you Spencer Reid take this woman, Katy Scarlett, to be your wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward; in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, forsaking all others, for all the days of your life?"

Scarlett kept her eyes locked on Reid's and squeezed his hands.

"I do."

Spencer smiled at her as they turned to face the justice. He held up two rings before the couple.

"These rings were given to me before the ceremony as a gift to the couple from Dr. Reid's mother. She told me to tell you both that these rings originally were worn by her grandparents, who were happily married for over 50 years. She wanted you both to know that with this gift, she hopes for you that same love, joy and longevity. Will you wish to use these rings as a part of your ceremony?" he asked.

Scarlett felt tears prick against her eyes as she looked over at Spencer. His eyes were also filled with tears. As one spilled out, falling down his cheek, Scarlett reached over and ran her thumb across it, wiping it away. He looked down at her, smiling as she nodded, accepting the rings from his mom.

Spencer looked over at his mother, then back to the justice.

"Yes, we accept the rings, with our thanks," he told him.

The officiate held the rings in his hand, saying a blessing over them. Scarlett held her locket in her hand, noticing Reid did the same with his pocket watch as the prayers were given. She closed her eyes and prayed along with the man.

Finishing the prayer, he looked at Reid. He handed the smaller ring to him with a nod.

"Please face your bride," he told Spencer, "and repeat after me…"

Spencer looked into Scarlett's eyes, holding her hand gently as he positioned the ring on her finger.

"I, Spencer Reid, give you Scarlett Ryan, this ring as an outward symbol of our love and fidelity, a promise of all of my tomorrows. With this ring, I thee wed…"

Spencer swallowed against the lump in his throat, as he slid the ring on to Scarlett's finger and repeated the vow.

"I, Spencer Reid, give you Scarlett Ryan, this ring as an outward symbol of our love and fidelity, a promise of all of my tomorrows. With this ring, I thee wed…" he spoke the words slowly, watching her eyes as he repeated the words that bound them. He saw tears holding behind her lashes, making her green eyes look brighter. His heart hitched into his throat, tightening his voice.

The official turned to Scarlett. "Please face your husband, and repeat after me…" he told her, handing her the other ring.

Scarlett smiled at Spencer, lifting the ring to his finger. As tear spilled out and down her cheek, Spencer reached with his free hand to wipe it away.

"I, Scarlett Ryan, give you Spencer Reid, this ring as an outward symbol of our love and fidelity, a promise of all of my tomorrows. With this ring, I thee wed…" she repeated the words, sliding the ring into place on his hand.

Spencer raised her hand to his lips, kissing the ring. Scarlett stepped closer to him, watching his eyes as he raised his head.

"And now, before God and these witnesses, I pronounce you to be man and wife," the judge stated with a smile.

""What God has brought together, may no man pull asunder," he added.

Spencer saw Scarlett lips move in an 'amen' after his words, knowing she was thinking of their job. He offered up his own prayers to hers.

"You may kiss your bride…"

Spencer pulled Scarlett closer as he leaned down to press his lips to hers in a chaste kiss. He felt Derek give him an elbow to the back.

Giving Scarlett a wicked grin, Spencer reached his hands to her face, cupping her chin gently as he moved his lips over hers with adoration taking the kiss deeper.

"That's my boy," Morgan laughed, teasing the couple.

Scarlett blushed, pressing her face into his neck as their families broke out in cheers and whistles. Spencer chuckled at her embarrassment and she heard the sound echo in his chest.

"I love you, my crazy girl," he teased, holding her close.

"As I love you, my farm boy," she responded, leaning into him.


End file.
